A CHARVIL runner is remembering special people in her life this year by taking part in a series of fundraising circuits, including the London Marathon.
Kathryn Le Coz is raising money for Hospice UK in memoryof her mother, who was diagnosed with polysistic kidney disease kidney failure and who died 40 years ago when Ms Le Coz was a little girl.
The hereditary disease was passed down to both of Kathryn’s brothers, David and Andrew. But Kathryn and her sister Jane were fortunate not to inherit it, and put themselves forward for living donor transplant testing.
Kathryn was able to donate one of her kidneys to David, which is still going strong almost nine years later.
Andrew underwent a successful kidney transplant four years ago.
At her living donor checkup last year tests revealed Kathryn’s blood pressure was high.
Rather than take medication, she opted to run to improve her health.
Having never run more than 10k before, and having also had a cruciate ligament replacement, the London Marathon seemed a step too far, but she was determined to make it, even if she had to walk, hop or crawl.
In the event, it all seems to have been a walk in the park, as she comfortably finished the course in five hours and 23 minutes.
“It was amazing,” she said.
“We had perfect weather, and I really enjoyed it.
“I had always planned to take it slow and steady, as I didn’t want to have an injury, but I was amazed at how I coped with it.
“I was able to take video as I ran up Pall Mall, and the crowds were phenomenal all along the way, especially on Tower Bridge.”
Kathryn’s family managed to catch her eye three times during the marathon.
“Hospice UK have cheer stations with big brightly coloured flags, and a megaphone for people to use to call to their runner.
“My husband and children managed to get to three of these stations, so I was able to stop and give them a quick hug each time.”
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Extraordinarily, Kathryn has nothing more than a couple of sore toes after her run.
“I was really amazed that I could run that far,” she said.
“I knew I could do 30k, but the rest was a mystery.
“I ran the whole way with a smile on my face.
“I really couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day.”
Her family are naturally very proud of her.
She was one of 53,000 runners who completed the marathon this year, and has so far raised around £5,400, including fundmatching from Kathryn’s employer Pricewaterhouse Coopers, which will be split between Hospice UK, and Cancer Research UK.
Kathryn will complete her set of running events by taking part in the Belfast City Marathon on Sunday, May 5.
There she will remember her mother, who was treated in Belfast City Hospital renal unit, but is also dedicating her efforts to her uncle and his wife, siblings David, Andrew, and Jane, friends and husband Yann, who supported Kathryn during the transplant operation.
And after that, will she put her feet up?
“Oh no, I’ve just signed up for the Great North Run, a half marathon in Newcastle in September,” she said.
It seems fair to say that she has caught the running bug.
To support her fundraising efforts, people can visit JustGiving (search for kathryn-le-coz)
