Mum and son team up for marathon fundraising campaign (From York Press)
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Cancer survivor Jo Buckton to run London Marathon for leukaemia charity
9:18am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in Fundraising fun
Cancer survivor Jo Buckton, 38, with her son Jake, six
A CANCER survivor from York and her six-year-old son have teamed up for a marathon fundraising campaign in aid of a leukaemia charity.
Jo Buckton, 38, battled her way back from leukaemia after being diagnosed in 2007 – only six months after the death of her inspirational mother from cancer.
She is now in training for next month’s London Marathon, while son Jake, inspired by his mother, has run his own one-and-a-half-mile mini-marathon around the streets near his home.
Jo said: “When I got my place in the marathon, Jake asked if he could run it with me. We set up the 1.5 mile run for him so he could be part of it.
“We both thoroughly enjoyed the run and Jake was giving high-fives to some of his supporters along the way. I am extremely proud of what he has done and he has boosted our fundraising total to more than £1,000 “ Looking back on her struggle with leukaemia, Jo said: “I had six months of chemotherapy which was really gruelling and I was pretty ill throughout.
“It was six months of intensive treatment then two years of the tablets. It was a really difficult time.”
She said: “One of the big drives behind doing the marathon was watching my mum battle cancer. When she was told she was terminally ill the first thing she did was join a gym.
“So this challenge is nothing compared to the challenge she went through.”
Jo said she is now looking forward to the London Marathon on April 21. “I’m really excited. “I’ve done a half-marathon in training and my next goal is to do 15 miles in the next two weeks.”
Rebecca Highfield, events co-ordinator at Anthony Nolan, said: “It’s incredible that Jake and Jo are running for Anthony Nolan. It costs £100 to recruit each person on to the bone marrow register. The money they raise will have a direct impact on our lifesaving work.”
To support Jo and Jake, donate on line at justgiving.com/Jo-Buckton1
