A JOHNSTONE woman is running a half marathon around Renfrewshire this weekend to raise vital funds for a charity close to her heart.

Jenny Morning will be running 13 miles for Brain Tumour Awareness Month this Saturday in support of her friend Calum Wright, who has been battling a brain tumour for the last six years.

She told The Gazette: "Calum and I met in the year 2000, when we both joined St Paul’s Dramatic Society in Johnstone. Calum took the lead role of Oliver Twist, and we've been friends ever since. We all have heroes, and I’m very fortunate that mine is one of my closest friends.

"Calum has been dealt one of the cruellest cards life can throw at you, and he has faced these challenges with such strength, resilience and optimism. He inspires me every day to be better and to live life to the fullest. His fight has been nothing short of remarkable."

The Gazette:

Calum, who is originally from Johnstone but now lives in Belgium, was first diagnosed in January 2015 when he had a seizure on a plane and was rushed to hospital in Milan after an emergency landing.

Over the past six years, he has undergone two brain surgeries, radiotherapy and around 25 months of chemotherapy.

Jenny has already raised over £2,000 for the The Brain Tumour Charity, which is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to fighting this devastating disease.

She said: "Although I've been running a bit throughout the last year, it's been slow and steady pace, with minimal distance. I'm setting myself this challenge as brain tumours are complex, and often devastating, and research into treating them is woefully underfunded.

"I hope this half marathon will help support those who are battling brain tumours, like my friend Calum, who depend on research to give them a fighting chance."

The Gazette:

Katie Sharkey, senior community fundraiser at The Brain Tumour Charity, said she was "extremely grateful" for Jenny's efforts.

She added: "We know a half marathon is such a big commitment and running one with no big crowds to cheer you on is mental challenge as well as a physical one. We hope that locally people will cheer her on and support her when they see her out and about training and for her challenge."

To show your support for Jenny's fundraising efforts, make a donation online at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jenny-morning-marathon.