A Blackburn woman is running a marathon and raising money for charity in memory of her friend who died of a heart condition.
Jill Kershaw, from Blackburn, is set to run the London Marathon in October and will be raising money for the British Heart Foundation.
The 45-year-old was inspired to take on the challenge after her friend, Scott Fenwick, died in February.
Scott, who was a nurse and previously worked in Royal Blackburn Hospital, died of a heart condition called pulmonary hypertension, a serious and rare condition that can damage the right side of the heart.
The walls of the pulmonary arteries become thick and stiff and cannot expand as well to allow blood through.
It cannot be cured but treatments can reduce symptoms and help the sufferer manage the condition.
Jill, who works at schools across the borough teaching those with developmental language disorders, said: “I have known Scott since our university days.
“He was a nurse and spent his life saving others. He was kind, funny and an absolute inspiration to me. I miss him every day.
“When he died I was heartbroken. It was really sad and I just wanted to do something to try and stop this from happening to other people.
“He was 48 and he had so much of his life ahead of him. If only there had been a cure.”
Jill wants to raise money for the British Heart Foundation to help them fund research and potentially find a cure for this disease one day.
She said: “I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has sponsored me. I am overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity.
“The money will make a huge difference to people with heart conditions and hopefully prevent more people losing their loved ones in the future.
“I also hope the fundraiser will raise some awareness about the symptoms and repercussions of pulmonary hypertension.”
It is her first time running a marathon and she has been training for it since March.
She said: “I am just trying to finish it in one piece and haven’t set my heart on a time. It’s my first time running an official race.”
Jill has raised more than £1,800 so far and is aiming to surpass her £2,500 target.
You can make a donation by visiting Jill’s JustGiving page by clicking here.
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