A self-confessed adventurer, originally from Royston, who has travelled the globe – including stints living in Japan and America – is embarking on a whole new type of challenge as she takes on a half marathon to raise money for two charities on Sunday.
Siobhan Holmes is running the 13.1miles Cambridge Half Marathon for Cancer Research UK in memory of her nana Irene, and for the Worster-Drought Syndrome Support Group.
The charity supports those caring for someone with the form of cerebral palsy, which causes difficulties with the mouth, tongue and swallowing muscles – and Siobhan’s friend Kerry Jones, has a two-year-old son, Ronnie Jones-Greaves, with the condition.
Anglia Ruskin University mature student Siobhan told the Crow: “Training is hurting every muscle, but doing it for the charities is giving me that push to keep going.”
“People have said I’m crazy when I tell them what I’m doing, but it helps raise awareness and that’s what it’s about.
“My friends and family are used to calling me and I’m out on a run, my mum Facetimes me, and I answer while I’m on a treadmill – I’m not going to stop!”
Mum-of-five Kerry, from Royston, said: “When Siobhan told me she was going to do it for Worster-Drought group I cried,
“It is a really rare condition, and you wouldn’t know there’s anything wrong with Ronnie, but he’s on a feeding machine for six hours each day and we have to constantly watch him. He even has problems swallowing his own saliva.
“We’ve had teams of doctors not know anything about the condition, let alone the general public, so raising awareness is so important.”
To donate to Siobhan’s causes see www.justgiving.com/fundraising/siobhanholmeshalfmarathon and www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/siobhan-holmes-ronnie and
For more on the support group, see www.wdssg.org.uk.
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