A REPORTER for the Times has completed his biggest physical challenge to show his support for his terminally ill cousin.

Tom French, reporter for the Okehampton Times, recently completed the Bournemouth Marathon to raise money for his cousin, Jo Smith.

Jo, aged 36 and mum to three-year-old son Rudey, is battling two rare terminal illnesses. Tom, who lives in Tavistock but comes from Peter Tavy, gave himself just six months to go from being a complete running novice to completing the 26.2-mile course in a time of five hours and 53 minutes to show his support for Jo. His efforts managed to raise around £600.

Doctors believe Jo is the only person in the world battling the combination of pulmonary hypertension, a degenerative heart and lung condition, and lymphatic cancer, a cancer of the white blood cells that fight off infection.

Jo is caught in a tragic Catch-22 situation. For Jo to have a heart and lung transplant to cure her pulmonary hypertension, she would have to be free of cancer. However, the treatment for Jo's cancer is so aggressive, her organs, already under strain from her pulmonary hypertension, could not take the additional stress.

A campaign, 'Breathe for Jo', was started earlier this year to raise £30,000 for Jo to travel to Thailand and undergo a potentially life saving course of immunotherapy treatment at the Better Being Hospital.

The total was raised in a matter of days, but upon arrival in Thailand it was clear the hospital could not provide the treatment they had promised.

The money raised by the campaign will now be used to pay for possible treatment options in the UK. Any money raised not used on Jo's treatment will be donated to charities supporting people suffering with pulmonary hypertension or lymphatic cancer.

Tom said: 'Jo is a warm, caring person and the most wonderful mother to her young son Rudey, even during what is an unimaginably difficult time for her.

'A diagnosis like Jo's would overcome most of us, but she is facing her illness with an indomitable spirit and positivity that is a testament to her strength as a person. I wanted to do something that would challenge me and show my support.

'With my lax training regime, I was incredibly nervous. In a moment of panic, my Dad asked me whose situation I would rather be in, mine or Jo's. That focused my mind, and I enjoyed most of the run.

'I hit "the wall" at around the halfway mark and started to panic mentally. Yet a mile or so later I was shimmying my way onto Boscombe Pier as a samba band performed on the sidelines. It was then I knew that I would finish, come hell or high water.

'It was a day of highs and lows and I have a new-found love for jelly babies after munching through two packets on the way around the course! The support from everyone has been fantastic and maybe in a year or so I might find myself running another one!'

Tom expressed thanks to everyone who kindly supported his fundraising efforts, in particular the residents of Peter Tavy, who donated well over £100 to support the cause.