Woman, 29, raising money for vital charity in memory of late dad

A young woman from Greater Manchester is running a half marathon for charity in memory of her late father. Emily Hayes, 29, from Oldham, will be taking part in the Run Tatton Half Marathon this November to raise money for The Christie Charity and spread awareness about bowel cancer.

She is fundraising after her father, Peter Hayes, passed away in 2021 after a four-year battle with the disease, with his ‘courage and positivity’ leaving a ‘lasting impact on their family’.

Emily said: “We are extremely grateful for The Christie and all that they do. They provided a lifeline for my dad and supported our family through what was a really difficult time.”

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Following their father’s death, Emily’s brother James began fundraising for the charity and completed The Christie Challenge, a year-long fundraiser consisting of six different activities, which raised £2,802. This inspired Emily and her fiancé Ross Wick to take part in the half marathon.

About the run, she said: “I signed up for Run Tatton as I'm keen to fundraise for The Christie before my 30th birthday in December.

“I’ve taken part in park runs and have run up to 10k in casual runs, but never taken part in longer events like this Tatton Park Half Marathon. My mum Mandy and my brother James and his girlfriend Amelia will all be cheering us on from the side-lines.”

The Christie Charity is one of the largest NHS charities in the UK, providing enhanced services over and above what the NHS funds, including vital new projects such as a new cancer centre in Macclesfield, which opened in 2021.

On her JustGiving page, Emily praised the charity for the work they did for Peter, as her late father underwent 80 chemotherapy treatments and took part in a number of trials at The Christie following his diagnosis with stage four bowel cancer in 2017.

She wrote: “It is thanks to The Christie and all their fantastic work that Dad got to spend the next 4 years with us; being present for numerous key family milestones including seeing me and Ross get engaged.”

Josh Hughff, mass participation events manager from The Christie Charity said: "Emily’s dedication and tribute to her father together with her impressive fundraising efforts embody the spirit of our community. We wish her and Ross the best of luck in the run and thank them for their incredible support."

Emily and Ross are aiming to raise £500 for the charity and are taking donations on their JustGiving page.