An Onchan resident has raised close to £3000 for the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre (CCC) based in Liverpool.
Melanie Patterson wanted to say thank you to the charity, who have been caring for her sister, Pamela Armillei, since April.
Mrs Armillei was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia after a routine blood test.
Mrs Patterson praised the care her sister has received at the CCC, and took up the challenge to run 100 miles in October to say thank you.
She was aiming to raise £10 per mile, for a grand total of £1,000 - a target she has massively superseded.
When the Independent went to print, she had raised £2,960, a feat she described as ’just incredible.’
She said: ’I’m just overwhelmed really. People have just been so kind and supportive, it’s just blown me away.
’I’m just so chuffed with the response and raising awareness of the Clatterbridge Centre, it’s just been brilliant.
’I’ve had donations from people I don’t even know... It’s just been ace.’
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s leading cancer centres providing highly specialist cancer care to a population of 2.4 million people across Cheshire, Merseyside and the surrounding areas, including the Isle of Man.
The charity has 10 operating sites across Merseyside and Cheshire, and three specialist cancer centres, in Liverpool city centre, Wirral and Aintree.
They also operate specialist chemotherapy clinics in district hospitals across Cheshire and Merseyside and deliver a pioneering treatment at home service.
Via these various avenues, Clatterbridge makes almost 221,000 patient contacts to more than 30,000 patients a year, offering pioneering chemotherapy, radiotherapy and proton therapy treatments.
Money raised through charitable donations help to fund several ground-breaking features which help treat and provide comfort to patients like Mrs Armillei who are based there.
One such feature is its ’Headstrong room’ which is the busiest of its kind in the UK.
The room is a dedicated space for patients dealing with hair loss, something which is difficult for many in that situation.
Before she started her charity run, Mrs Patterson spoke to Isle of Man Newspapers about the work Clatterbridge does, saying: ’You don’t think about things like the cancer centres and the fact that you might need one.
’A lot of the stuff they do has all been paid for by donations, and I never had an awareness of it and I just would like to raise more awareness of it, because Clatterbridge is something that people on the Isle of Man will rely on.’
Luckily, for Mrs Patterson, who ’absolutely hates’ running, most of the recent bad weather came later in the month, meaning she managed to not get too wet whilst tackling her challenge.
She said: ’I’ve been really lucky, I only got soaked about three times!’
She described the run as having helped in the wait for her sister to come home - which they are hopeful will be well in time for Christmas this year.
It is not too late to donate to Mel’s cause - the fundraiser will be open for a couple more weeks for anyone who would still like to contribute. You can read more and donate via GoFundMe: http://buff.ly/3n4HPvl