A Stockport vet will cap off a gruelling year of fundraising in the memory of her dead dad by running the New York Marathon.
Sam Mundy 28, from Hazel Grove and fiance Andy Kent 29 – both vets, together with friend Helen Gemmell have been raising money through various running events throughout 2014.
With the help of family and friends, between the three of them have walked and ran 2014km in the year, raising more than £13,500, all in aid of St Ann’s Hospice in Stockport as well as Help the Hospices.
The trio are hoping to raise another £1,500 and reach their fundraising target of £15,000, and after a year of running, Sam and the team are ready to cross that final finishing line on November 2.
“Because we’ve been running for a year we just want to get it over and get on with it. I think those last six miles will be fairly tortuous but I’m sure we’ll do it,” Sam told MM.
“Andy has done every event that I’ve done with me, almost reluctantly, he’s never done any running before ever before this year.
“Helen my friend she has done the most all year and they’ve been a huge support and I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Sam’s dad Mike died of cancer two years ago and was treated at the hospice, and Sam now wants to give something back to the incredible service that looked after her dad.
Speaking about the hospice, Sam said: “They’re such a huge local support.
“They just make such a difference supporting the families and the patients with a level of care you couldn’t get in a hospital at that time.”
As the hospice is a charity, without fundraising it wouldn’t be able to operate.
Andy Buckley, a spokesman for St Anne’s, said: “The hospice relies on people like Sam to keep going because donations are needed to provide a range of free services.
“The hospice wouldn’t exist without Sam and others like her. In terms of commitment, we thank her for it.”
Joining Sam, Andy and Helen in New York, will be Sam’s mum and Helen’s parents in what will be a great way to end a fantastic year.
“For people to travel to New York to support you is really sort of culminating the whole year, it will be special if we all manage to actually finish,” Sam said.
“My dad always wanted to visit New York but never made it there and I’ll be doing the race on his behalf.
“Helen is the only one of us who’s run a marathon before. We’d like to thank everyone who’s contributed during the year and it’d be great to reach our next target.”
It hasn’t just been the support of family though – Sam has been blown away by everyone’s support.
“The challenge really took off in a way that I never expected – the support from friends and families, even my work colleagues who didn’t know my dad,” she said.
“It really accelerated in to this massive thing and it has drawn people from everywhere really. Everyone has overcome their own personal challenge in raising the amount of money.”
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