Woman, 29, raising money for vital charity in memory of late dad

A young woman from Greater Manchester is running a half marathon for charity in memory of her late father. Emily Hayes, 29, from Oldham, will be taking part in the Run Tatton Half Marathon this November to raise money for The Christie Charity and spread awareness about bowel cancer.

She is fundraising after her father, Peter Hayes, passed away in 2021 after a four-year battle with the disease, with his ‘courage and positivity’ leaving a ‘lasting impact on their family’.

Emily said: “We are extremely grateful for The Christie and all that they do. They provided a lifeline for my dad and supported our family through what was a really difficult time.”

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Following their father’s death, Emily’s brother James began fundraising for the charity and completed The Christie Challenge, a year-long fundraiser consisting of six different activities, which raised £2,802. This inspired Emily and her fiancé Ross Wick to take part in the half marathon.

About the run, she said: “I signed up for Run Tatton as I'm keen to fundraise for The Christie before my 30th birthday in December.

“I’ve taken part in park runs and have run up to 10k in casual runs, but never taken part in longer events like this Tatton Park Half Marathon. My mum Mandy and my brother James and his girlfriend Amelia will all be cheering us on from the side-lines.”

The Christie Charity is one of the largest NHS charities in the UK, providing enhanced services over and above what the NHS funds, including vital new projects such as a new cancer centre in Macclesfield, which opened in 2021.

On her JustGiving page, Emily praised the charity for the work they did for Peter, as her