CROSSGAR runner Joanna Miskelly has conquered her first marathon and raised more than £1,000 for a charity dear to her heart.
Joanna took part in the Dublin Marathon last month, just two years after taking up running.
What spurred her home over the line was knowing that she was running in aid of Myeloma UK — her mother, Philomena, suffers from the condition.
She recently handed over a cheque for £1092.50 to the charity which aims to find a cure for this relatively unknown blood cancer.
“Mum has myeloma and was initially diagnosed with it in 2009,” Joanna told the Recorder.
“She has endured a lot of treatment over the last number of years, some of which has had life-changing side effects.
“Mum is a true inspiration to those of us who know and love her. She is one of the most positive people that you will ever meet, despite all that she has gone through and the struggles that she continues to face.”
Joanna explained that myeloma is currently incurable and is sometimes described as ‘the hidden blood cancer’.
At any one time there are around 17,500 people living with myeloma in the UK. It accounts for 15% of blood cancers, and 2% of all cancers.
A keen cyclist, Joanna joined Crossgar Harriers after doing Jimmy’s 10K run in Downpatrick in 2016 and soon progressed to running half marathons.
She said: “Before I knew it, I had entered the Dublin marathon in 2017. Unfortunately, I sustained a rather nasty injury during training for this and I was unable to take part. I was disappointed, but I resigned myself to the fact that maybe a full marathon just wasn’t meant for me.”
However, Joanne took the plunge again for this year’s marathon on October 28.
“There were 27 Crossgar Harriers taking part and the support and camaraderie among us, never mind from the crowds in Dublin, definitely helped to spur me over the finish line,” she said.
“I hoped to raise some funds and awareness of myeloma through setting up a Just Giving page, but I never imagined that I would raise so much.
“I have been absolutely overwhelmed by the generosity of my family and friends.”
Further information on myeloma can be found on www.myeloma.org.uk.