The CEO of Northamptonshire charity The Lewis Foundation is preparing to run 100 miles in less than 48 hours as part of fundraising efforts to mark the organisation’s 10th anniversary.
Lorraine Lewis, who co-founded The Lewis Foundation with her husband Lee in 2016, will take part in the Rat Race Adventure Sports 100-mile event from 4-6 July. The route stretches from Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland to Edinburgh Castle and will require participants to travel continuously across a mix of roads, trails, hills and mountainous terrain.
The challenge comes during a milestone year for the charity, which supports adults undergoing cancer treatment. What began as a personal initiative by Lorraine and Lee has grown into an organisation that now delivers more than 2,000 free gift packs each month to patients in 17 hospitals across the Midlands and East of England.
Each pack contains practical and comfort items including toiletries, books, blankets, puzzle books and body lotion, designed to help improve the experience of people receiving treatment.
Lorraine is currently training six days a week, spending around 18 hours each week preparing for the event while continuing to lead the charity.
Speaking about the challenge, Lorraine said: “I’m a mix of excited and scared. One hundred miles is a huge challenge and when someone reminded me it is almost four marathons, one after the other, it really hit home. The route’s continuous, including through the night, and although there are pit stops along the way, I don’t think I’ll sleep. I know that if I stop for too long, I might struggle to get going again.”
She added: “This year marks 10 years of The Lewis Foundation and I wanted to do something that really reflected the scale of what this charity means to us. We started The Lewis Foundation to bring comfort and joy to adults going through cancer treatment and that remains at the heart of everything we do.”
The charity was established after Lorraine and Lee experienced first-hand the challenges faced by adults receiving cancer treatment. They initially delivered gifts to patients themselves before expanding the initiative into a charity that now supports thousands of people every month.
Funds raised through the ultra marathon will contribute directly to the charity’s work, with The Lewis Foundation estimating that £3.60 funds one gift pack for an adult diagnosed with cancer.
At the time of writing, Lorraine had raised more than £600 towards the appeal.
Donations can be made via the charity’s fundraising page.
