Brothers take on 7 half marathons in 7 days in honour of their dad’s memory

Two local brothers are pushing through an extraordinary endurance challenge in memory of their father, as they look ahead to their third half marathon in seven days.

Andrew and Liam began their gruelling fundraiser on 23 March, aiming to complete seven half marathons in seven consecutive days – a total of 147.7km – in honour of their dad, Chris, who died in January after a long and courageous battle with aplastic anaemia.

Now, just days into the challenge, the pair are already setting their sights on the next milestone, with their third run underway as they continue their week-long effort.

Chris was diagnosed with severe aplastic anaemia in May 2021 and later faced a cancer diagnosis. Despite repeated setbacks, he continued to fight, and by summer 2025 there were signs of improvement. However, his condition worsened again later that year, and he died on 25 January 2026, leaving behind his wife of 45 years, three sons and two grandchildren.

In tribute, Andrew and Liam have taken on what they describe as a challenge “far beyond anything either of us have ever attempted before”, running each half marathon from locations that held special significance to their father around the Bay.

They said: “Dad was the most courageous, hardworking, dedicated, motivated and bravest man on this planet.

“A man from the humblest of backgrounds who dedicated his whole life to giving his three sons the best opportunities this life has to offer, so they did not have to face the same struggles that he did.”

The brothers are fundraising for the Aplastic Anaemia Trust, the only UK charity dedicated to the condition, which funds research and supports patients and families.

Aplastic anaemia is a rare, life-threatening autoimmune disease that stops the bone marrow from producing blood, affecting around one in 500,000 people.

Andrew said: “Due to the rareness of the condition, the Aplastic Anaemia Trust does not get many opportunities to fundraise, so we want to raise as much money for them as possible.

“Also due to the rareness of the condition, the charity can do a lot of on the ground work, supporting those diagnosed and their families, so it really is a great charity.”

Support has already been strong, with more than £4,280 raised so far – surpassing their original £3,000 target – as they continue to clock up the miles.

They added: “It is going to be a huge physical and mental test, but anything less would be a disservice to our dad.”

With several runs still to go, the brothers remain focused on completing the challenge and raising as much as possible, hoping their efforts will help other families facing the same devastating illness.

To support the fundraiser, scan the QR code or click here: https://www.theaat.org.uk/Appeal/for-chris