Preston Harrier Sarah Copestake first started running to help with her fitness and get out in the fresh air.
She joined Preston Harriers and started training with the coached Tuesday-Thursday running group. This group, which meets weekly at Avenham Park, has runners of all ages and abilities and is a way of having some laughs and getting fit at the same time.
Sarah has found that being a member has kept her focused: when she puts her name on the running list each Tuesday and Thursday she knows there’s no backing out, no matter what the evening’s weather may bring!
Sarah’s reason for running, however, goes deeper than merely keeping active…
Sadly Sarah’s daughter Jordan has an inoperable brain tumour and funding private treatment has been a driving force behind some of Sarah’s recent endeavours. The treatment needed to help reduce the swelling on her brain is not available via the NHS so she has been raising money to pay privately for her treatment at Blackburn the Breadwood hospital.
In 2022 Sarah pushed herself further and harder than she ever thought possible and completed the London Marathon. She is certainly one tough lady too as despite falling off her bike whilst in-training and enduring a painful fracture to her pelvis, she persevered and completed the event. The London Marathon is no easy feat and Sarah used her amazing strength of mind and resilience to finish, even saving enough reserve for a beaming smile at the end.
So far she has managed to raise over £6000 pounds through various events, including some sponsored runs, and Sarah will no doubt continue to enter events of different distances to gain further support.
Sarah explains that her daughter has now had two rounds of the specialist treatment thanks to the funds that have been generated, however as more will be needed Sarah will keep on chasing pavements and pathways to get it. “I am a working community nurse and see the effects of brain tumours in my job. It breaks my heart to see my daughter go through all this, however she never complains and always continues to smile”.
If you would like to keep up-to-date with what is next on Sarah’s agenda or make a donation you can do so here: https://gofund.me/75c8a708
