Marathon effort across two cities in aid of St Catherine’s Hospice

 Marathon men Fayyaz and Faisal Ali went the distance in two gruelling challenges raising vital funds for St Catherine’s Hospice.

Fayyaz completed the Paris Marathon in just over five hours and has already raised more than £1,800.

Meanwhile Faisal – who had been due to complete the challenge with his dad but fell ill after eight miles pounding the pavements of the French capital – instead signed up at the last minute for the Manchester Marathon the following weekend, and crossed the finish line in six hours 19 minutes.

They each wanted to show their support for the hospice after their mum/grandmother Zubeda was cared for at St Catherine’s back in 2013.

Since then they have been involved in supporting St Catherine’s in many different ways – including by taking part in the Moonlight and Memories Walk, and speaking out about their experiences to help tackle some of the misconceptions which can exist around hospice care in the Asian community.

Fayyaz said: “It was a fantastic experience!

“On the day when I’d finished it I vowed, never again! But now, on reflection, it wasn’t that bad – and I’m even thinking about perhaps doing another at some point. It was certainly the biggest challenge I’ve ever tackled and I feel very proud to have completed it, particularly in the name of such a great cause.

“St Catherine’s is a place which is very close to my heart. Taking part in the marathon was my way of giving something back for the wonderful service they provided for my mum. The only way St Catherine’s can continue offering this care to local people who need it is if people like me and Faisal show our support. The quality of care she received was fantastic and made such a difference to her and our family at that time. We want to help other families to have access to the same support when they are going through difficult times.”

To sponsor Fayyaz click here  and to sponsor Faisal click here.

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