Congratulations to Keith Walsh and Ben Craven (pictured below with Keith on the right), who completed Cycle 274 Miles in August last weekend with the 36-mile Cotswold Classic, raising around £400 each in memory of NHS worker Zara Taylor.
Keith and his wife Beverly’s only child, Zara (pictured above), was just 30 when she was diagnosed with a glioblastoma after suffering seizures out of the blue. She underwent surgery, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and pursued privately-funded treatment alongside her standard of care NHS treatment. But nothing could save Zara and she passed away in October 2023, aged 33.
Zara set up the Fundraising Group Zara’s Appeal for a Cure to bring family, friends and colleagues together to raise awareness and vital funds to help bring about better outcomes for brain tumour patients. She took part in numerous fundraising challenges for the Charity, including Walk of Hope, 10,000 Steps a Day in February and Jog 26 Miles in May. Now, her parents, husband Jordan, cousin Cali and friends and neighbours are continuing her legacy, with a group of them also taking part in our Elvaston Castle Walk of Hope at the end of September.
Keith, 73, said: “My neighbour Ben and I are used to cycling around Blackpool where we live and it’s very flat, so the Cotswold Classic with all its hills and 536 metres of elevation nearly killed me! But what we went through was nothing compared to Zara.
“Beverly, Jordan and I are so grateful to everyone who supports Zara’s Appeal for a Cure – we are determined to continue what Zara started – making a difference so that other families in the future don’t have to go through the nightmare of losing a loved one because there is no cure.”
Make a donation to Keith’s Walk of Hope 2025 page
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