Exeter runner takes on 'Mr. Men' challenge

Lauryn McKinney from Exeter will join 1,400 others on the grueling 26.2 mile course to raise vital funds for Children with Cancer UK, the leading national children’s charity dedicated to the fight against childhood cancer.

For this year’s Virgin Money London Marathon, Children with Cancer UK has teamed up with the creators of Mr. Men and Little Miss in an exclusive partnership to use the iconic characters to help raise funds in the fight against childhood cancer.

Lauryn (27) a PR & Communications Executive currently living in London, is busy training hard for the big day, which she also took part in last year for Macmillan Cancer Support, raising just over £1,700. This year Lauryn hopes to raise over £2,000 through online sponsorship and several fundraising events for Children with Cancer UK, a charity very close to her heart.

Lauryn explains why she chose to run this year’s marathon in support of Children with Cancer UK: “There are so many reasons why I have chosen to take part in this year’s marathon for Children with Cancer UK. As a charity they are understated as often people tend to focus on other bigger cancer charities, which already have a lot of profile. The work Children with Cancer UK do is fantastic and makes such a difference to the lives of children, and their families struggling to cope with this awful illness. Cancer darkens the door of so many people, so I plan to go the extra mile to help improve the lives of people battling this illness and also hopefully raise awareness for vital research purposes. I’m so proud to be one of the lucky 1,400 people selected to take to the streets of London on April 23 of this year – wish me luck!”

Ben Twyman, Head of Events at Children with Cancer UK, explains, “Training for the Virgin Money London Marathon takes real commitment and determination. All our runners have given up their time and put incredible energy into raising much-needed funds to help us fight childhood cancer. Thanks to their heroic efforts we can fund crucial research into kinder and more effective treatments for young cancer patients."

Over the past 29 years, the research funded by charities like Children with Cancer UK has helped drive up survival rates, and three quarters of young patients are now cured. Yet there is still much more to do – 4,000 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer every year in the UK, and a core of high-risk cancers still elude successful treatment.

Every year Children with Cancer UK invests more than £5 million in life-saving research into the causes, prevention and treatment of childhood cancer, and works to protect young lives through essential welfare programmes.

To help Children with Cancer UK raise essential funds and continue the fight against childhood cancer, visit childrenwithcancer.org.uk to make a donation or find out how to get involved.

Lauryn’s online fundraising page can be found, here: http://m.virginmoneygiving.com/mt/uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=LaurynMcKinneymarathonparttwo&un_jtt_redirect