A MOTHER from Bere Alston is lacing up her trainers and pounding the pavements in practice for the London Marathon in April, in a bid to raise as much money as possible for three charities that have helped her daughter, who suffers with cancer.

Sally Dunn, who works at the Bere Peninsula Pharmacy, is running the marathon to raise money for the Mustard Tree at Derriford, Brain Tumour Research and The Brains Trust.

Sally’s daughter Holly, 19, was diagnosed in January 2016 with a Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) — a grade four brain tumour in a position that makes surgical invention extremely risky.

Sally said: ‘GBM’s are particularly nasty with generally poor outcomes, however, they are very rare in young people so it is difficult to extrapolate the available information to give a prognosis for Holly. We have recently had a potential ray of hope, following assistance from Dr Helen Bulbeck of the Brains Trust, by way of a review by a Harley Street neuro-oncologist who has suggested that it may actually be another form of glioma and that there may even be a more targeted treatment available.

‘The initial diagnosis came as a massive shock to all of us — we had thought that Holly was starting to get migraines, which would have been bad enough, but to have that diagnosis with the “virtually inoperable” label added was not a great start to 2016. Holly had three brain surgeries in one week and we can’t thank Derriford enough for the care and attention they gave her. As she was just 18, she was classified as an adult but the team still ensured both her dad, Gary, and I were kept in the loop and allowed to be with her as much as we needed. The scariest part was the final op which was the biopsy which carried so many potential risks that it felt like we were holding our breath for the entire three hours she was in surgery.’

Sally said the situation had brought them closer together as a family, including Holly’s younger sister Georgia and Holly’s boyfriend Matt, and it had affected the way they look at things, how they prioritise their time and what they consider to be important.

Sally is no stranger to running marathons, having run a half marathon and two marathons since she picked up running in 2013. She qualified for a place at the London Marathon in 2016, but had to defer after finding out about Holly’s condition.

She said: ‘I have a training plan and get out five times a week. On Saturdays I tend to do a long run with my friend Lisa Birch, who is also running London and supporting the same good causes, or with Gary, who accompanies me on his bike and offers “encouragement” should he think I’m not running fast enough!

‘Having run two marathons already, I know that you can’t take them lightly. They are as mentally tough as they are physically so I’m not planning to underestimate the effort required to train and the effort needed on the day.’

Sally has set up a fundraising website and hopes to raise as much money as possible for the charities.

‘Our initial goal was to raise some money for the Mustard Tree at Derriford as the staff there have been fantastic and during Holly’s radiotherapy and chemo sessions it was a place to go where it didn’t feel like we were in hospital and we could just sit quietly and chill for a bit.

‘We also felt we wanted to do something that may help with finding a cure for this terrible disease — we were quite shocked when we saw how little of the overall research budget for cancer is directed just at brain tumour research, so we opted to help in a little way to boost that.

‘We were also very lucky to be put in touch with the Brains Trust and specifically Dr Bulbeck.

‘With her assistance, including financial support from the charity, we have seen two specialists in London who have given us more information and a glimmer of hope that perhaps there is an avenue for a specific treatment that will help Holly.

‘Neither doctor suggested that what Derriford has been offering is incorrect and both said that the treatment they would recommend is exactly what Derriford is providing.

‘However, they just had some additional information as they are both world specialists that may turn out to change the way we look at treatment at a later stage.’

Sally said her family have been overwhelmed with the support from work colleagues, friends and the community of Bere Alston throughout the past year.

She expressed thanks to Tavistock College sixth form staff for the support they gave in the early days when Holly was in Year 13 and the ongoing support they are still giving and to pharmacist Ian Peacock and the staff at the Bere Peninsula Pharmacy for the support and flexibility they have given her.

She said: ‘Holly was back at school to finish her BTECs only a couple of weeks after her surgery.

She now works part time in the Bere pharmacy and since leaving school has started working in the Bere Alston Post Office. The postmistress, Charlotte Hammond, has been very supportive. Holly’s sister Georgia, now 17, has been a great help cooking and cleaning when Holly and I have been out at hospital and away in London, ably assisted by Grandma Helena, who also lives with us.’

Sally gave special mention to Holly’s boyfriend of three years Matt. She said it would have been very easy to have decided it was too difficult for him but he has been there for Holly every step of the way.

She expressed thanks also to the Bere community: ‘The entire community has been there for us from day one and without their unwavering love and support night and day, this all would have been so much harder.

‘This has to include the members of the Bere Alston Trekkers (BATs) plus the staff at the doctor’s surgery who have all been incredibly supportive during this difficult period, but really we have been overwhelmed by all the continued goodwill that we have received from the community.’

Sally will be running the marathon on April 23. Anyone who would like to support her and donate to her causes can do so online at uk.virginmoneygiving. com/SallyandHolly