Katy leading army of runners in memory of her mum

Katy will be running in memory of her mum. Picture: Supplied

Among the team of 35 runners stepping out at the Baxters River Ness 10K will be Katy Sutherland, who watched her mother, Jackie, put up a brave four-year fight for life.

Katy, 26, and her team of fleet-footed fund-raisers will be running in aid of the Jackie Sutherland Memorial Fund – an official support group of The Brain Tumour Charity - and hope their efforts on September 24 will eventually ensure that other families do not have to go through the same heartache they have endured.

Jackie, from Conon Bridge, was aged just 52 when she passed away in February. She had been diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2013 and underwent two rounds of surgery and gruelling courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to treat it.

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Just 3% of people who are diagnosed with the disease go on to survive longer than three years, so Jackie was set to defy the odds and was responding well. However, just when things were looking up, she suddenly had a stroke.

Doctors then revealed that the tumour had returned. Jackie and her family were given the devastating news that it was inoperable and she had just six months to live.

Katy said: “Mum was really amazing: she never once gave into defeat. She called the tumour an ‘inconvenience’ and was determined it wouldn’t get the better of her. I genuinely believe that her attitude alone gave her extra time – she wasn’t going down without a fight.

“She was a very special lady to so many people and this was reflected at her funeral service. The church was packed with over 500 people attending, some even standing out in the pouring rain.

“We will have a team of 35 people taking part in the Baxters River Ness 10K, all who will be wearing special t-shirts and vests in memory of my mum. People have been really keen to take part – we have family, friends and some of my colleagues, all of mixed abilities, running and walking the course.”

Jackie also left behind her husband, Ian, and son, Jack (20). Katy decided to set up The Jackie Sutherland Memorial Fund in April in the hope of improving the lives of others affected by brain tumours.

She has already raised an incredible £22,500, and has vowed that she will tirelessly raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity in memory of her mum.

“With further research and understanding, I hope it will prevent families in the future from losing a loved one too soon to this horrendous, debilitating disease,” Katy adds.

“Losing someone you love is hard, but watching someone you love lose each of their senses over a cruel six-month period and all you could do was hold her hand, smile and tell her how amazing she was and that things were going to be okay – I have never felt so useless.”

The Brain Tumour Charity receives no government funding, and relies completely on voluntary donations to work towards its twin goals of doubling survival rates and halving the harm caused by brain tumours.

Geraldine Piping, director of fund-raising at The Brain Tumour Charity, says, “We are extremely grateful to Jackie’s family and friends for raising awareness and funds in the face of their own loss.

“Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and people under 40 in the UK and survival rates have not improved significantly over the last 40 years. We need to change that.”

An online fund-raising page for anyone who would like to sponsor the Baxters River Ness 10K team at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/thebrainybunch

Like Katy and her team, many runners taking part in the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running will be raising money for charity. The main charity partner of the event is Macmillan Cancer Support and there are three lead charities – Chest Heart Stroke Scotland, Highland Hospice and MS Society.

Runners can also support 15 other affiliate charities, although hundreds of participants will use the event to raise money for good causes close to their own hearts.

In addition to the 10K, the event also incorporates the marathon, 10K Corporate Challenge, River Ness 5K and the Wee Nessie fun run for pre-schoolers. The finish line is at based around the Event Village at the Bught Park in Inverness where runners and spectators can enjoy the Baxters Food and Drink Fayre, a Sports Expo, live music and activities for children.

Entry is now open for all races online at www.lochnessmarathon.com until September 4, with places available in the Loch Ness Marathon for charity, club and overseas runners. The event is active on Facebook at facebook.com/lochnessmarathon and on Twitter @nessmarathon – use the hashtag #RunLochNess.