A devoted boss and friend will take his first step on a gruelling challenge - to run one marathon every day for 100 consecutive days from Portugal, through Europe and finishing in London at the London Marathon on April 22nd - on Saturday morning in Lagos.
Funds raised by Matthew Loddy, a 46 year old director, from Warners End, Hemel, on the 2TonRun event will fulfil a promise to Phil Latham, a friend and colleague for over 20 years, who died in April 2010, aged 36 from stomach cancer.
It was around five months before he became seriously ill, that Phil Latham, 36, planned to walk from Portugal to London with Matthew to raise money for cancer charities.
But after his throat started to hurt when he swallowed, Phil realised something was wrong. During an operation, doctors discovered that he had cancer. It eventually spread to his stomach and Phil was admitted to the hospice in April last year. He fought the disease for two years before he finally died at the Berkhamsted based hospice.
”At one point it looked like Phil might pull through and we talked about doing something to raise money for young cancer sufferers,” said Mathew, who has never run in an official marathon before.
”We thought of a sponsored walk to The Algarve where we’ve both had some great holidays. Then, when he was in the hospice and knew he would not recover, we joked about me having to do it myself and I said I’d run it.”
Phil was a devoted husband to Karen. The pair met at school where they were childhood sweethearts and would have celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary this year.
”Phil was a very dedicated family man, a very hard worker and enjoyed doing up our first house. He enjoyed clay pigeon shooting, football and horse riding. The girls, Holly now 10 and Evie aged five came along and life was busy and fun,” she explains.
”Matthew and Phil have known each other for over 20 years and he was there by Phil’s side continually when he became so ill. He helped us make some big decisions about Phil’s care and he’s always been there for us. He helped make the decision for Phil to come to the hospice with me. As soon as we looked around the hospice we knew he had to go there.
”Phil came to the hospice at the end of January 2010 and was there until the end of April. We all moved in, that’s what it felt like, it was our home.
As they tried to come to terms with Phil’s illness, the family still made time for each other and the hospice tried to help.
One of Phil’s last wishes was to see colleagues at the firm before he died to say his goodbyes. It was arranged that he could visit them.
Karen and Phil’s family and friends have campaigned to raise money for the hospice since last year, raising more than £10k.
Adds Karen: ”Phil was the love of my life. When we lost him last year after his brave battle against cancer, the Hospice of St Francis were amazing in their care for Phil, me, Holly and Evie as well as the rest of our family and close friends.
”Both me and the girls still have counselling now which they provide for us and we continually get support from the supportive care team at the hospice. We have a lady called Angela come to the house and she does work with the girls about our memories and all the good times we had together.
”I will never be able to thank them enough for what they did and still do for us. We’re trying to help raise as much money as we can for the hospice to give them something back for the amazing support they gave us during this heartbreaking time.”
Says Matthew: ”This ’2TonRun’ perversely reflects my faults more than any great love of athletics.”
”I’m no fan of running long distances but do love proving people wrong. I can’t resist a dare. ’Bet you can’t’ is like a red rag to a bull. A 2TonRun is such a big thing, so unreasonable, such a first that it motivates me to train like a demon and will grab attention for good causes close to my heart like The Hospice of St Francis and Teenage Cancer Trust.”
Training has meant a juggling home-life in Kings Langley, charity work and his Berkhamsted -based scaffolding business, Framework (Specialist Works) Ltd.
”It’s an incredible challenge and amazing that someone on our doorstep is taking it on for us,” comments Sarah Adjer, community fundraiser at The Hospice of St Francis. ”But then you meet Matthew. He fixes you with a wide-eyed smile and the whole enterprise suddenly feels like the only sensible course of action. We wish him well.”
Matthew has had medical checks to ensure he’s in good shape for the 2,620-mile multi-marathon and is receiving specialist advice on endurance training and nutrition. |
