Fiona eyes up marathon to help combat cancer

10:13am Saturday 15th March 2008

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A BASINGSTOKE hospital nurse is training for the challenge of a lifetime as she gears up to run her first marathon to help combat a rare children's cancer.

Fiona Edwards, of Franklin Avenue, Hartley Wintney, will take part in the London Marathon, on April 13, to raise money for The Childhood Eye Cancer Trust after the son of friends, who live in Frimley, was diagnosed with retinoblastoma - a rare form of cancer which affects the retina of children.

Mrs Edwards, 44, a pre-operative assessment sister at Basingstoke hospital's Diagnosis and Treatment Centre, has already raised more than £4,000 in sponsorship for the charity, which provides support and information about the disease.

She said: "Our friends' seven-year-old son has already lost one eye to the disease and has undergone several gruelling bouts of chemotherapy to save the other.

"It has been so hard for him and for his parents, who have suffered more highs and lows than most people will ever experience."

Mrs Edwards, who has two children, Becky, 20, and James, 17, currently runs 30 miles a week.

She said: "People have been incredibly generous. Our local milkman, Ron Scudder, distributed leaflets to all of his 600 deliveries and I'm really touched that so many of his customers have contributed.

"My husband David has been extremely supportive. My daughter also collected in her university town of Bath, and when thieves made off with the £100 she had raised, local people rallied round and donated an additional £500."

Mrs Edwards hopes the money will help to fund an awareness campaign, which will help parents to detect symptoms of the disease.

To sponsor Mrs Edwards, visit www.justgiving.com/fifihw