A bereaved father is halfway through an incredible marathon fundraising challenge to help find a cure for brain tumours.
Frank Lee is taking on the gruelling Abott World Marathon Majors challenge – which sees participants complete six different marathons across the globe – to raise money for Brain Tumour Research.
So far, his running exploits, which he has undertaken alongside a group of friends known as ‘Team Breed’, have seen him cross the finish lines of the London, Tokyo and Boston marathons, raising more than £27,000 in the process. With three more marathons coming up over the next few months, starting with Berlin on 24th September, followed by Chicago in October and New York in November, Frank is hoping to double that total.
It's in honour of his teenage son, affectionately known as Little Frank, who was just 13 when he was diagnosed with a glioblastoma (GBM). He underwent two successful surgeries and bouts of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, however, the high-grade tumour continued to return. Frank died less than two years after his diagnosis, on 22nd July 2019.
Five years on from losing his son, Frank Sr said: “As a family, we knew nothing about this disease until it completely upended our lives. So many young people die of brain tumours, yet so little funding goes into research into the disease. It makes my blood boil.
“I find it so hard to talk about Little Frank, and a couple of years ago I’m not sure I would have been able to do it. But I know I need to in order to prevent more parents from losing their sons like we did.”
We are wishing Frank and the rest of Team Breed the best of luck as they limber up for the final leg of their epic challenge. If you’d like to support their efforts, click here to make a donation via JustGiving.
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Published Monday 26th August 2024.