Seven marathons in seven days for brain research

A runner is setting off on a gruelling challenge to complete seven marathons in a week to support his father-in-law who has brain cancer.

Alex Trivino, from Bozeat in Northamptonshire, said his wife thought he was mad when he came up with the idea.

His father-in-law, Trevor Davies, was diagnosed with brain cancer in February, 2021.

Mr Trivino said he wanted to raise funds for research because there were "so few treatment options" for patients.

Mr Trivino belongs to a running club in Milton Keynes and runs regularly, but he has never tackled a challenge quite like this.

He will have to complete the daily distance of 26.2 miles in under six and a half hours, starting with a race in Llangollen in North Wales on 9 September.

He will have completed 184 miles when he crosses the finish line of his last marathon in Richmond on 15 September.

He said: "My wife thought I was mad when I suggested running seven marathons in a week but that spurred me on to make it happen.

"I run most days, [but] consecutive marathons will be tough physically and mentally.

"It’s also involved a lot of logistical planning.”

Mr Davies, who is 66, had suffered seizures for years before his diagnosis, but he was told these were due to low blood pressure.

He was finally diagnosed with glioblastoma (GBM) and given radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Mr Trivino said: "We looked up GBM and saw the prognosis which was frightening.

"Although he has already outlived the 12 to 18 months expectancy of GBM patients, we know that this disease can progress at any time.”

Mr Trivino has already raised more than £3,200 for the charity Brain Tumour Research, motivated by a desire to improve treatment options for patients.

He said: "I’m doing this for Trev and everyone who has been touched by this disease.”

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