Couple’s marathon challenge for Maggie’s

A man who survived brain cancer twice will take on the Edinburgh Marathon with his wife by his side.
Kenny Martin was first diagnosed with cancer in 1999Kenny Martin was first diagnosed with cancer in 1999
Kenny Martin was first diagnosed with cancer in 1999

Kenny Martin, from East Lothian, will raise funds for Maggie’s Edinburgh after he twice went through brain surgery to remove tumours.

Kenny was first diagnosed with cancer in 1999 and underwent surgery just a few days later.

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He had the second operation in 2014, after a scan the year before showed that the cancer had returned.

Kenny with his wife TinaKenny with his wife Tina
Kenny with his wife Tina

Kenny, 54, still has to have scans every six months to make sure the cancer has not come back again but is feeling well enough to get his running shoes on to support Maggie’s.

He said: “Maggie’s has been such a great help to me, they have been with me all the way through.

“The first operation really hit me hard, and Maggie’s helped me to get back on my feet.”

Kenny took part in a course called ‘Where Now?’, which is designed to help anyone with cancer and their family and friends to cope with the issues that can arise after treatment has finished. “I wanted to get back up and running but I was trying to do everything too quickly.

“Maggie’s helped me to slow down, not to try to run before I could walk.

“One of the great things was being able to meet other people who were in the same position as me, we helped each other without realising it. I still visit Maggie’s regularly because you never know what is around the corner or when you might need help again.”

Maggie’s has also supported Kenny’s partner Tina and she recently decided to give something back to the charity by taking part in a sponsored abseil off the Forth Bridge, despite suffering from vertigo.

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Now the couple have signed up for the Edinburgh half-marathon and have started training.

Kenny said: “If we have to walk half and run half that will be fine, we just want to do it for Maggie’s.”

Andrew Anderson, Centre Head at Maggie’s Edinburgh, said: “As a charity Maggie’s Edinburgh relies on donations and fundraising efforts such as Kenny and Tina’s to allow us to continue to develop our unique, high quality programme of support, offering the best support possible to people with cancer as well as their family and friends. Everyone at Maggie’s wishes them the very best of luck with their training and we are hugely thankful to them for choosing to support us.”

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