An army of runners will be pounding the streets of Inverness next month in memory of a tragic Highland mum who died from a brain tumour.
The team of 35 runners at the Baxters River Ness 10K will include Katy Sutherland, who watched her mother, Jackie, put up a brave four-year fight for life.
The 26-year-old and her team will be taking on the challenge in aid of the Jackie Sutherland Memorial Fund – an official support group of The Brain Tumour Charity.
They hope their efforts on September 24 will eventually ensure that other families do not have to go through the same heartache they have endured.
Mrs Sutherland, from Conon Bridge, was aged just 52 when she passed away in February.
She had been diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2013 and underwent two rounds of surgery and gruelling courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy during her treatment.
Just 3% of people who are diagnosed with the disease go on to survive longer than three years, but Mrs Sutherland was set to defy the odds and was responding well. However, just when things were looking up, she had a stroke and doctors revealed the tumour had returned and she had six months to live.
Her daughter said: “Mum was really amazing: she never once gave into defeat. She called the tumour an ‘inconvenience’ and was determined it wouldn’t get the better of her.
“I genuinely believe that her attitude alone gave her extra time – she wasn’t going down without a fight.
“We will have a team of 35 people taking part in the Baxters River Ness 10K, all who will be wearing special T-shirts and vests in memory of my mum.” Mrs Sutherland also left behind her husband Ian and son Jack, who is 20.
Her daughter decided to set up The Jackie Sutherland Memorial Fund in April and has already raised £22,500. For anyone who would like to sponsor the team visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/thebrainybunch
