AN OLTON runner put his best foot forward and raised £750 for Solihull’s Breast Cancer Haven.
Mark Hollis ran the Cheltenham half marathon in aid of the St Bernards Road charity after hearing of his close friend’s battle with the disease.
He said: “I was devastated to find out that someone so close to me had breast cancer.
“Kate became aware of her local Breast Cancer Haven drop-in clinic as part of her treatment and I have seen how magnificently they have supported people locally through tough times, so I decided to raise money to help them help others.
Mark, who is head of operations at National Express’ Birmingham head office, raised £500 thanks to the kindness of family, friends and colleagues when he completed the 13.1-run.
He also applied to his workplace for extra funding from the employee charity panel in a bid to maximise his fundraising.
Mark added: “After raising £500 in sponsorship myself, I was really pleased the business chose to support my efforts and generously donate an additional £250 to my nominated clinic.”
Elysa Cooper, community and events fundraising officer at Breast Cancer Haven West Midlands, said: “We are so grateful for the support we’ve received from Mark.
“Not only has he raised a fabulous amount of money but by running as part of Team Haven, Mark has also raised vital awareness of the charity and the support we offer for local people affected by breast cancer.
“A half marathon is quite a challenge to take on and I can’t thank Mark enough for choosing to support Breast Cancer Haven, West Midlands.”
