Health Matters: Jonathan's great effort

Haile Gebrselassie may have grabbed the headlines completing the Bupa Great North Run in under an hour. However, behind him were 49,000 other competitors, the majority of them taking part in the world's biggest half marathon to raise money for good causes.

One of them was Jonathan Tiplady, who featured in last week's Life and Style. The 23-year-old, who is battling back to health after a series of aggressive brain tumours wiped out two years of his life, was competing in the race in a wheelchair, alongside family friend Ian Morgan.

The pair crossed the finishing line in two hours 45 minutes and raised in the region of 1,500 for the Yorkshire-based Candlelighters charity, which supports youngsters with cancer and their families.

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"Ian did say it was Jonathan's spirit which kept him going throughout the 13 miles," said his mother Helen. "They were absolutely drenched by the rain when they finished, but even the bad weather couldn't take away from their achievement."

Midnight invitation

There is still time to enter the Sue Ryder Care women's only Midnight Walk at Harewood House to raise vital funds for Wheatfield's Hospice in Headingley, Leeds.

The Harewood House sponsored Midnight Walk on September 25 is a 10km walk through the grounds of the stately home, through the deer park and passes round the house itself.

Participants at the walk will enjoy a fun warm-up before the countdown to midnight. At the finish, walkers will receive special Midnight Walk goodies, a medal and well- earned breakfast.

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Sue Ryder Care is one of the leading providers in specialist long-term and end-of-life care, with 13 care centres all over the country, six of which are hospices. The sponsorship money raised will help Sue Ryder Care to continue its much-needed work in this area.

Entry is 15 and all participants must pre-register to take part. You can register online at www.suerydercare.org/midnightwalks or contact the York Fundraising Team on 01904 426 920 or [email protected].

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