Becky fulfils a promise made to her dying father
Rebecca Widdicombe was inspired to run this year’s London Marathon for her father, Gerry. Since the age of 53, Gerrry Young had suffered with Cerebral Vasculitis-induced Strokes and Dementia. “It turned him from an amazing teacher into a little old man with the brain of a 90 year old who had no control over anything that happened to him or his body – it was simply degrading for him.”
Becky felt she had to do something to help and decided to run for Brain Research Trust. “Having worked in medical research myself, I knew the importance of raising funds for ground-breaking neurological research to try and find a reason for Dad’s illness. I wouldn't want another family to go through what I have.”
Sadly Gerald passed away early this year, just a couple of months before Becky ran the Marathon. Becky said: “I won’t deny I could have done with a hug and ‘good luck’ from him before the start and then hear him say ‘well done Beck’ after the finish line. I'm very proud of what I've done both for me and for Dad. I had an absolutely amazing day, smiling all the way. I’d always said I’d run the marathon one day and I promised Dad I’d finish. My knee went at mile 8 so I had to drag it from there, but I got to the end.”
To date, Becky has raised around £3,500 for Brain Research Trust in sponsorship, including £1,000 from Southam College, Warwickshire, where her dad worked from 1982, first as a teacher and later as head of careers. “Before Dad died I set up a Facebook page for him. The messages I got from the kids he used to teach were beautiful, inspiring and comforting. Many said that they simply wouldn't be where they are today if it hadn’t been for the support and guidance my Dad gave them. Around 80 people from the college came to his funeral even though he hadn’t worked there for about five years. I miss Dad terribly but it is so nice to know he made such a difference to so many people.”
Becky who works at pharmaceutical company Pfizer also benefitted from the organisation’s match giving scheme. You can still contribute to her fundraising efforts at http://www.justgiving.com/Becky-Widdicombe
Not content with one successful event, Becky is already thinking about climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. “I have a great job that gives a lot back, a crazy personal life but this is just something different. It’s a tremendous feeling embarking on a challenge and raising money for Brain Research Trust. I could have supported a charity to care for people that already have these life-robbing diseases, but I’d rather see the diseases dispatched for good. That’s why Brain Research Trust fitted the bill for me and that’s what keeps me motivated.”
Becky hopes that her story will inspire others to participate in future events for Brain Research Trust – the only national charity which funds world-class research into all neurological conditions which include Alzheimer’s and other dementias, Brain Tumours, Epilepsy, Motor Neurone Disease, MS, Parkinson’s and Stroke. These conditions affect one in six people in the UK today and the charity is giving them hope that better treatments and cures will be found.
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