Mark's Marathon for The Brain Tumour Charity
Mark Pascoe is raising money for The Brain Tumour Charity
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London Marathon live tracking link:
I will be taking on one of the worlds most famous 26.2 miles, running the 2025 London Marathon for my son Dexter. Raising money for The Brain Tumour Charity.
In February last year, within 72 hours we went from a seemingly healthy 12 year old young man, to a hospital transfer and neurosurgery at University Southampton Hospital.
Dexter underwent a procedure to treat severe Hydrocephalus (which is excess fluid on the brain) caused by a brain tumour.
His benign tumour, diagnosed as a tectal glioma, is inoperable and will continue to be part of his journey and monitored with regular MRI scans.
As parents we were thrust into a new world. In a state of heightened emotion, rather than google a raft of unfiltered information, we turned to the Brain Tumour Charity as a source of sanitised material.
Once Dexter was home and settled, the charity sent him an age appropriate goody bag, and a personalised handwritten card of support, and encouragement.
The Brain Tumour Charity is a global platform (though a local charity for those in Fleet, being based on Ancells Farm). It is the world’s leading brain tumour charity and the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours globally. The Charity is committed to saving and improving lives, supporting people with brain tumours to live longer and better lives amongst the challenges they face.
Brain Tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40, yet receives less than 2% of cancer funding. They reduce life expectancy by on average 27 years – the highest of any cancer. Just 12% of adults survive for five years after diagnosis. We need to do so much better for the 34 people diagnosed with a life changing brain tumour every day in the UK.
As a father, I have an innate feeling of responsibility to protect my children. The diagnosis, which was way out of my control, was a difficult place to be for me. I started running as a way to spend time in some sort of therapy with myself. It was a swing at something I 'could' control, and be disciplined with. I am not a gifted endurance runner, and as a traditional track sprinter this will be a challenge.
Please follow along for regular training updates. Head back to this page on April 27th and we'll endeavour to post a live tracking link where you can follow my marathon progress!
Thank you.
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Training Updates:
October 27th : Fleet 10km Race
Great local crowd. First time taking part, and pleased to snag a PB after a couple quieter weeks with a back injury.
6 months to the day to London.
5 months to go.
I've got a new pair of running shoes, and I am expecting to need the replace them again before the marathon..