A father-of-two with bowel cancer hopes he will inspire others with the condition when he runs the London Marathon just weeks after his latest treatment.
Tom Bolter, 33, who was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer last November, completed radiotherapy at the end of July and will run the gruelling 26 miles on 3 October.
Cancer has hit Tom’s family hard as his 38-year-old mother Sharon died from breast cancer when he was 13, and his grandfather John died from bowel cancer.
He decided to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support while also doing something that would benefit his health.
He said: “The marathon is primarily to improve my health and wellbeing and to inspire others.
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“I’m hoping it will help people in similar situations to feel encouraged and to make them realise you can still do a lot of things with cancer.
“I want to show them what’s possible in the face of a bad health situation.”
“Whilst it might seem a little crazy to take on the marathon just a few weeks after completing radiotherapy, my oncologist tells me that things are progressing exceptionally well.
“Macmillan has been an incredibly helpful, informative and supportive cancer service for my mother, my grandfather, and now for my grandmother and me.”
Tom smashed his original target of £3,330 in 24 hours and has so far managed to raise over £11,400 for the charity which provides specialist health care, information and financial support to people affected by cancer.
He said: “I was amazed and completely overwhelmed with it all, the whole way through.
“It’s been a massive source of motivation and encouragement.”
Tom, who now works part-time for the family business Roves Farm in Sevenhampton, spoke of his ‘disbelief’ and ‘shock’ when he was diagnosed in November last year.
But he persevered and kept up with his running throughout nine cycles of chemotherapy and five weeks of chemo-radiotherapy treatment.
“It was supposed to be a palliative diagnosis so things didn’t look very good but they have massively improved and I feel very fit and well after the treatments and lifestyle changes.
“Last Sunday, I ran a full marathon distance so I know I can do it. Now I’m just resting ahead of the day and looking forward to enjoying it.”
Marathon participants will follow a 26.2-mile course from Blackheath to The Mall on 3 October.
To support Tom for the London Marathon visit the virginmoney website.
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