A Colchester teacher who lost his younger sister to cancer will be lacing up his trainers to run the London Marathon to help the charity which supported her.
Father of two, Aaron Bond, is preparing to sweat it out on Sunday to raise money for Young Lives vs Cancer, a charity dedicated to supporting children and young people battling with the disease.
Mr Bond, 40, lost his sister, Bryony, to cancer in 2005.
He said: "Young Lives vs Cancer is a charity incredibly close to my heart.
"It was a devastating time for my family and I, but during that period, Young Lives vs Cancer supported us a huge amount.
"Providing housing for our family near the hospital where Bryony had her treatment, taking her on trips to theme parks and experiences as well as generally supporting my parents in whatever way they could."
Mr Bond first took on the challenge of the marathon at the age of 30 and is now ready to do so again, aiming to raise a significant amount of money to aid the charity's valuable work.
The charity provides vital support to families navigating the terrifying journey of a child with cancer.
He said: "The work they do is really invaluable and the support they provide families who are in the most challenging circumstances, cannot be overstated."
Young Lives vs Cancer helps young people diagnosed with cancer and their families cope with fear and uncertainty.
The charity offers specialist social workers, provides 'Homes from Home' near hospitals for families and grants to help mitigate the financial burdens of the disease.
Sophie Hartley, mass participation events manager at Young Lives vs Cancer said: "We can’t thank Aaron enough for his amazing efforts, taking on the challenge of a lifetime for Young Lives vs Cancer.
"We’d love to see the community get behind a final push for Aaron’s fundraising.
"We can’t wait to cheer on Aaron and Team Young Lives all the way to the finish line."
To sponsor Mr Bond's marathon run, go to 2024tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/aaron-bond.
More information about Young Lives vs Cancer's work can be found at younglivesvscancer.org.uk.
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