Life-saving mission of mother set for South Pole challenge

A MOTHER-of-two is set to become only the fifth British woman to attempt the Antarctic Ice Marathon, one of the hardest in the world, to raise funds for life-saving cancer treatment for Knaresborough toddler Sadie Rose Clifford.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Nov 2011, 06:00 BST

Yvonne Brown, who lost her six-year-old son Jack, to aggressive childhood cancer neuroblastoma in May 2009, is running the marathon at the end of the month to help pay for treatment for three sufferers: two-year-old Sadie, Robyn Higgins, nine, from Surrey and Emma Hoolin, four, from Wigan.

All three children need treatment that is only available in the United States and costs in excess of £250,000.

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Mrs Brown, of London, who has two children, Connor, 15, and Rhian, 12, will have to face temperatures as low as minus 35 degrees during the marathon which takes place close to the South Pole at an altitude of 3,000 feet.

“To lose your child is the worst thing that can happen to anyone,” she said.

“This will undoubtedly be the most difficult thing I’ve ever done physically. And, with the exception of losing Jack, it will be the biggest mental challenge I’ve ever had to cope with. I’m determined to finish it though, to help Sadie, Emma and Robyn get the treatment they desperately need.”

Related topics:KnaresboroughWiganSurrey