A FORMER Tudor Grange School pupil and podcast presenter is set to cross the Atlantic and take on the TCS New York City Marathon in memory of his mum.
Dan Hudson, the presenter of A Gay and a Non-Gay and Comedian will be joining more than 50,000 runners on November 3 as part of an epic fundraising challenge for Marie Curie.
The 37-year-old plans to run six World Marathon Majors in the next three years, with his next 26.2-mile challenge back on UK shores when he tackles the iconic TCS London Marathon in April 2025.
In March 2022, Dan’s mum died from terminal cancer, having spent the final week of her life at the Solihull Marie Curie Hospice.
A month later, Dan ran the Shakespeare marathon to “give something back” and raise money for the end of life charity.
Dan said: “My mum Gill was diagnosed with terminal cancer at the end of 2018 and she stayed in remarkably good nick for the best part of three years but then at the tail end of 2021 she started going downhill quite rapidly and by March 2022 it was looking towards the end.
“She spent the last week of her life in the Marie Curie Hospice in Solihull. The nurses and doctors there did an incredible job looking after her.
“They care for people in such an amazing, upbeat, positive way. Nothing is too much for them. They take it in their stride and it’s impressive, to say the least. I knew I wanted to fundraise for them to give something back and show my appreciation for the wonderful care my mum received.
“I’m looking forward to taking to the streets of New York to carry on my marathon challenge and raising as much money as possible for Marie Curie to support the incredible, unspeakably brilliant work that they do for the terminally ill.”
Marie Curie is an end of life charity, caring for people with any illness they are likely to die from including Alzheimer’s (and other forms of dementia), heart, liver, kidney and lung disease, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s, and advanced cancer.
Ben Thomas, community fundraiser for Marie Curie in the West Midlands said: “Now, more than ever, charities like Marie Curie are having to rely on fundraising and donations from supporters and local businesses.
“Thanks to Dan and the amazing marathon fundraising challenge he is undertaking on our behalf, Marie Curie will be able to continue helping people at the end of life and their loved ones, whether in their own home, in our hospice or over the phone. We are here for people until the end.
“If you would like to take on a similar challenge for Marie Curie, we’d love to hear from you. Do get in touch to find out more about how you can support us across the region and more widely.”
For more information about how to fundraise for Marie Curie please contact Ben Thomas on 0121 703 3713 or [email protected].
If you’re living with or caring for someone with a terminal illness, Marie Curie is here for you. Visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/support or call our Information and Support line on 0800 090 2309.
For more on Dan’s challenge or to donate click here.
