A MARLBOROUGH mother who lost her five year old son to a brain tumour is to run two marathons to raise money for his fund.

Harriet Cox is set to run 53.6miles in June, in aid of Bobby’s Fund which was set up after her son, Bobby Cox, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in June 2014.

He died in July 2014, aged just five.

Taking part in double marathon, Race to the King, is another fundraising event to add to the £200,000 that has already been raised for The Brain Tumour Charity and the John Radcliffe Children’s Hospital – charities which the fund supports.

In 2014, Harriet and her husband, Paul Cox, received the devastating news that Bobby had a brain tumour after having symptoms, which included him being sick and wobbly on his feet.

Following the diagnosis, Bobby was taken into the John Radcliffe Children’s Hospital in Oxford.

Harriet explains: “The medical team operated on Bobby, and they tried to remove the tumour, but they couldn’t get to it at all. He was due to start chemotherapy but had a seizure. This was due to the rapid growth of the tumour which had already spread to other parts of the brain and spinal cord.”

Unfortunately, the tumour was too aggressive to treat: “In the end we had to accept that there was nothing more they could do, and he died in our arms in hospital.”

Harriet and Paul started fundraising for Bobby’s Fund the following year, which commenced with a 100km cycle.

Harriet said: “Since the cycle, we have organised we have organised two triathlons, a music marathon and I’ve run a half marathon.”

She continues, “I have also started walking the Camino de Santiago, organised a sponsored dance-a-thon, a static cycle event and a number of other smaller fundraising events.”

Whilst Harriet has run the London Marathon a few years ago, and completed various 10km’s and half-marathons, she is yet to run a double marathon: “I wanted to take on a really big challenge to raise awareness and money. To train for it, I am running five times a week, working on both distance and speed.”

Harriet will be participating in Race to the King, which is a double marathon, taking place on 20th and 21st of June and will see participants walk, run or jog along the South Downs Way to the steps of Winchester Cathedral.

She will be running the race with Helen Kelly, mother of Bobby’s best friend, Rufus.

To support Harriet’s cause, go to https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SomeoneSpecial/BobbyCox

To find out more about Threshold Sports endurance races visit: https://www.thresholdsports.co.uk/