On course for for final marathon
A nurse is running the London Marathon to raise money for a charity that works with young people with heart problems.
Mrs Sue Fox (44) of Westgate, Southwell, is ward manager of the cardiac care unit at the Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham.
She is running the marathon for Cardiac Risk In The Young (Cry) which raises awareness of heart problems for under 35-year-olds.
“I see a lot of people who have cardiac arrests and some of those are young people who previously seemed fit and well and have got no idea that they’ve got a heart condition,” said Mrs Fox.
“A big part of what Cry does is improving screening in schools for children and they also support people who have lost someone because of an undiagnosed heart condition.
“Before I looked into this charity I didn’t realise how many people were affected by these sort of problems. Eight under 35 year-olds die every week as a result of an undiagnosed heart problem.”
Mrs Fox has completed the London Marathon twice before but said this would be the last time she ran it.
The first time she raised money for the neonatal unit at Nottingham City Hospital where her son was born.
“Last time I didn’t run for a charity and it took the edge off it a bit,” said Mrs Fox.
“I walked the last two miles so that’s why I decided to do it again, but this will definitely be the last time.
“I work three 12-hour shifts and have to run four times a week so I don’t really get any time off. The running takes over my life a bit.”
Mrs Fox said she hoped to finished in a time of around 41/2 hours and wanted to raise at least £1,500.
“Cry is a relatively small charity but it does some really valuable work with young people because the impact of being diagnosed with life threatening cardiac conditions can have on them as individuals and their families is massive.”
Mrs Fox’s husband, Mr Pete Fox and son Sam (16) will travel to London to watch her run the marathon on April 13.
Anyone interested in sponsoring Mrs Fox can do so at www.justgiving.com/suefox1
