Running a half marathon to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease

Rob Cameron, 43, of All Saints Road, will be running the Birmingham half marathon next weekend to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association after seeing his father-in-law Jim Lowe fall victim to the illness.

Mr Cameron said: “This is a first for me.

“Before this year the most I had ever run was about six miles and that was probably 20 years ago.

“Basically the idea began as a personal challenge. I started running last year just a bit, but then I thought let’s raise some money for charity.

“My father-in-law had motor neurone disease (MND) and died a number of years ago and it felt like a fitting tribute to him.

“It has been 21 years since I first met Jim so it felt strangely appropriate to raise the money now.”

Father-of-five Jim Lowe, from Bishops Tachbrook, died in 1992, just three weeks before Rob and Tracey were married.

“It was devastating. He used to work on the roads and was quite a small man - only 5ft 4in or so, but he was very stocky and had a very big personality.

“He quickly lost his voice completely and wasn’t able to speak any longer. “Over the next year he wasted away in front of our eyes, and it is one of those things that just stays with you. “So now I’m hoping to raise a good sum of money for people who are going through what we did.

“I am looking forward to the run, I’m definitely looking forward to completing it.”