Hundreds are expected to join a charity run next week inspired by a mum-of-two who died from a brain tumour.
The fifth Run for Gem takes place at Colchester Castle Park on Saturday 3rd December. The annual event is raising funds for Brain Tumour Research and St Helena Hospice, inspired by Gemma Edgar, who died of a glioblastoma (GBM) in December 2018, aged just 33.
Gemma’s dad Andy Relf says he and his wife Barb are “immensely grateful” to Cara Greenley for organising the 5km event with help from Jen Kaye and the Running Colchester community.
Running was an activity Gemma took up after her diagnosis. Andy said: “Gemma made many new friends through Running Colchester and rarely missed attending the weekly Parkrun in Castle Park.
“Run for Gem is a wonderful annual tribute in her name. We have a memory bench for her on the Parkrun route, which last year proved a popular respite for runners and walkers to take a selfie at and remember her.”
Runners are asked donate £5 each and there will also be a cake sale to raise additional funds on the day.
Andy added: “Brain tumours continue to kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer. Gemma was a healthy, fit young woman and her brain tumour diagnosis came without warning a few weeks after the birth of her second son.
“We must find a breakthrough in treatment so that no one else has to suffer the same bleak outlook Gemma had to. Losing her has devastated all the family and we will never get over it. We miss her so much every day.”
To find out more about the Run for Gem event, visit the Facebook event here.
To donate to Brain Tumour Research via Run for Gem, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cara-greenley8