Wharton Construction is supporting its head of business development, Rowena Wallace, as the recent non-runner prepares to tackle the Great North Run for the first time.
She was inspired to pull on her trainers after her mum Teresa Thompson was diagnosed during the first Covid-19 lockdown with lobular carcinoma, a particularly invasive form of breast cancer.
The mother-of-two, from Northallerton, is raising money for Breast Cancer Now, which funds world class research into a disease that claimed 11,499 lives between 2016 and 2018.
Rowena said: “She found it quite by chance and fortunately it was both diagnosed and treated very quickly. The surgeons removed a 7cm tumour, and she then underwent a mastectomy followed by radiotherapy and is now on daily medication.
“Thankfully, she’s recovering but I know the great toll it has had on her both physically and mentally – which is why I wanted to do something positive to contribute towards eradicating this terrible disease.”
Wharton Construction is sponsoring her, along with individual members of staff.
Matthew Wharton, a director of the family-run firm, which is based in Darlington, said: “We’re all immensely proud of Rowena, given that that until very recently she was a complete non-runner. Not only has she shown a great deal of determination to enter the Great North Run, but she is doing it for a magnificent cause and everyone at Wharton Construction is tremendously proud of her.”
Rowena, who is Chair of the Friends of the School at Sacred Heart Primary in Northallerton and supports the North Yorkshire Soccer Academy under 10’s football team by volunteering as its funding and events co-ordinator, initially joined the ‘Couch to 5k’ programme. She has since built up the distance until she is ready to tackle her first 13.1 mile half marathon on Sunday 11th September.
She added: “I’ll be thinking of my mum and the many thousands of women who receive the same devastating diagnosis every year on my way round,” added Rowena “It’s the world’s biggest and best half marathons, so I’m excited to be taking part and pleased I’m running on behalf of Britain’s largest breast cancer charity.”
To donate visit: https://greatnorthrun.enthuse.com/pf/rowena-wallace-b53e7#greatnorthrun2022