Fife mum steps out to help those battling with brain tumours

A Kirkcaldy woman is set to give a large cash injection to a cause close to her heart, with support from her local running club, by taking part in two marathons.
Kellyanne Muir from Kirkcaldy who is running two marathons for Brain Tumour Research. Pic:  Fife Photo Agency.Kellyanne Muir from Kirkcaldy who is running two marathons for Brain Tumour Research. Pic:  Fife Photo Agency.
Kellyanne Muir from Kirkcaldy who is running two marathons for Brain Tumour Research. Pic: Fife Photo Agency.

Kellyanne Muir (37) has raised over £4400 for the charity Brain Tumour Research after being moved to help children fighting brain tumours.

Having seen children and adults going through treatment with the illness, the mum-of-four felt compelled to do something to help.

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The police officer has had support from friends, family and colleagues as well as the backing of local running group, Kirkcaldy Wizards.

The cause is one close to Kellyanne's heart. Pic:  Fife Photo AgencyThe cause is one close to Kellyanne's heart. Pic:  Fife Photo Agency
The cause is one close to Kellyanne's heart. Pic: Fife Photo Agency

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Fellow Wizards runner Paul Frape came up with the idea of launching a virtual miles challenge in which people could run, walk, swim or cycle 52.4 miles – the distance of Kellyanne’s two races - to give Kellyanne some support.

Taking part in the virtual challenge requires a £10 donation to Kellyanne’s Just Giving page to help her achieve her goal of raising £2,479 – the cost of one day of research into brain tumours and their treatment.

Kellyanne joined Kirkcaldy Wizards in February 2018 after being encouraged by her eldest daughter, who used to be a member, to join the group.

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She said: “I didn’t really start going along to the Wizards until August last year and that’s when I started to take running seriously. As well as enjoying the running I found it to be a great stress reliever.

“I had run one marathon before for mental health charity SAMH six years ago so that’s why I decided to challenge myself a bit further by running two marathons this year.”

She revealed how the virtual challenge came about: “I had fundraised just over £1000 in relation to my two marathons. Myself and Paul were out running when he came up with an idea to help with the fundraising – to do a virtual challenge.

“People have to do an activity totally 52.4 miles, the equivalent of my two marathons and it just went crazy. All the running community got involved, all the running clubs as well as colleagues from my work. 165 people have signed up to do it so far.

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“People donate £10 to my just giving page as well as £3.50 to cover the cost of the medal and there is no time limit on it.

“The support the Wizards have given me has been amazing. It has been so successful.”

Paul said: “We were out for a run one day and we chatted about her fundraising and the aim to reach £2749, the cost of one day’s research into brain tumour research.

“As a running group there is always someone running a race for charity and as a person you can’t give to them all. I had a thought of a virtual challenge and asked Kellyanne if I could set it up in order to help her reach her fundraising target.

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“The virtual challenge was set up early in August. People are encouraged to take pictures, selfies and post them in the virtual page on Facebook and their own social media. “The response has been overwhelming, way more than I ever anticipated with around 165 people joining up so far.

“It has been a great motivator for people as it gave them a purpose after injury or being inactive for sometime.

“Kellyanne had already raised around £1100 from donations before the challenge started. The total us now around £3800 ish plus gift aid from the donations have taken the total to over £4400.

“An unimaginable amount of money, and there are still a few people joining weekly.”

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Kellyanne completed her first marathon this year – the Strathearn Marathon – in June in just three hours 42 minutes.

And her second one is on October 19, when she will take on The Dramathon, in Speyside, a challenging route which features hilly terrain.

Kellyanne said brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer and that only one per cent of national spending on cancer research is allocated to the disease.

She said: “Work colleagues have also been affected by brain tumours and what the families go through is just horrendous.

“More needs to be done and this is my way of giving a little something back.”

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