The inspirational widow of a man who lost his brave battle with motor neurone disease last year, robbing him of the chance to see his two young daughters grow up, has run more than 120 miles in his name to raise money towards research into a cure for the devastating illness.
Scott Everett, who lived in Stevenage with his wife Catherine and their children Anna and Evie, died in July last year after a two-and-a-half year battle with MND. His daughters were just seven and four years old.
MND slowly strips the sufferer of all physical and personal independence, leaving them trapped in a body which no longer works – but Scott was determined to never give up. This inspirational resolve is shared by Catherine, who regularly raises money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and says she will not stop until a cure is found.
Catherine signed up to Great South Run Solo and vowed to complete 25 runs between September 1 and October 18, totalling at least 100 miles and culminating with the 10-mile Great South Run distance.
She said: “I have raised a staggering £1,655 during the challenge, which saw me run 128 miles in 45 days. It was very tiring but fulfilling. Once again I have been overwhelmed by the support and kindness of friends, family and strangers.
“Sadly, during the time of the challenge, I lost a friend to MND – another father of a young family, just like Scott.
“Just £75 pays for a researcher for half a day, and £1,000 would pay for detailed analysis of the DNA of someone with MND to help us better understand the causes of the disease.”
Catherine has been accepted for a King’s College London research study into cognitive and behavioural changes some MND sufferers experience. She comes under the ‘healthy control’ category and said “better understanding leads to better care and treatment. It’s great to see the funds we raise for research being put to good use”.
Catherine is also holding a virtual charity quiz night for MNDA on Zoom at 8pm on November 20. A team is £20 – maximum of six per team – or £4 per player. For more, email MNDAQuizfundraiser@yahoo.com.
You can also still make a donation via Catherine’s fundraising page: justgiving.com/fundraising/catherine-everett79.
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