Wight Tri’s Laura Abrook satisfied a 10-year long dream last Sunday when she took on the Virgin Money London Marathon 2019 having received the club’s spot this year, after many years’ worth of ballot rejections.
The club’s place had originally been allocated to Adam Younger, but due to his wife’s (and Wight Tri member) ongoing cancer challenge, the place rolled down.
Laura – who finished the race in 3hrs 53 minutes, achieving a 24 minute personal – took the decision to use this place to crowdfund as much money as possible to go to Sarah (Fenwick) and Adam to assist with ongoing treatment costs.
Sarah was recently told that she was no longer responding to chemotherapy and so her next option was to undergo innovative immunotherapy treatment, which unfortunately falls outside of the NHS funding remit. Each treatment costs in the region of £3,800. To date, funds raised exceed £3,900 but it is hoped the £4,000 mark will be broken.
Sarah is a much loved member of the Isle of Wight sporting community, being a coach, sports psychologist and high achiever in the sporting world in her own right. Sarah even gave Laura some much needed sporting psychological support in the lead up to Sunday’s marathon, which inevitably helped give Laura the confidence to obtain her personal best at the distance.
Laura reported that working with Sarah was so insightful and empowering, with Sarah’s experience in the sports psychology field being eye opening as to achieving the mind set required for such endurance events.
The fundraising page will be kept open for final donations until 10th May, and any further donations would be so greatly appreciated. Donations can be made to the crowdfunding page at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/laura-abrook-1.
