Man to run Barcelona marathon in honour of mum recovering from cancer after DRI treatment

Henry Eldred will take on the Mother’s Day marathon in honour of his mum, Kate, who is in recovery from stage two bowel cancer, and the ‘incredible’ NHS teams who took care of her.

Talking about his Mum’s experience at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH), specifically Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Henry said: “The teams on Ward S10, the Chatsfield Suite and Outpatients have been incredible.

“It’s great to see the level of response and the duty of care, even despite the struggles the NHS has faced.”

Diagnosed in October 2022 and following surgery at the end of February 2023, and chemotherapy, Kate’s surveillance tests are clear.

Henry said: “The speed they were able to support, and the level of detail was amazing.”

The 29-year-old, who works in Business Development Management at Barclays, is running with a group of friends who are individually supporting several charities, including Big C Cancer Charity and Parkinson’s UK.

The idea came about when a friend of Henry’s signed up for the marathon, sparking interest for Henry and his good friend, Sam.

Henry decided to ‘show some love’ to the Trust, not only for the care provided to his Mum, but the services given to his entire family over their lifetimes.

Despite completing a half marathon last year, Henry hasn’t run since and has been ‘non-stop running’ fitting in training sessions around work.

The group are aiming for a final fundraising total of £2,000.

It’s great to have a sense of achievement, especially when it is related to something that was a tough time, Henry explained.

Henry said: “In comparison to what my Mum went through it’s nowhere near as challenging.”

Speaking about her journey with DBTH, Kate explained how her experience from diagnosis to treatment and surveillance have been the ‘NHS at its best’.

She went on: “The staff are caring and helpful and I’m really delighted that Henry is running the Barcelona Marathon to raise money to enhance the patient experience even further.

“Congratulations Doncaster & Bassetlaw Hospitals, my experience was the NHS at its best. I am lucky to benefit from your services.”

Taking on the marathon has been a surprise to a lot of people, Henry explained.

He said: “This is something very close to Mum, and recent, but she’s really appreciative.”

And he added that Kate’s friends have been very generous with donations.

Suzy Brain England OBE, Chair of the Board, said: “Henry’s marathon is a really commendable undertaking, and we are so proud that he has chosen to do it for our charity and for his mum.

“We will always encourage our supporters to take on fundraising challenges where they set their own fundraising activity or goal, and Henry is a shining example of going the extra mile! Good luck.”

To donate to Harry’s cause, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/henry-eldred-1704556053887To find out more about our charity, and the difference we make, please visit: www.dbthcharity.co.uk.