Gary McKee to run 100 marathons in 100 days to raise funds for hospice
McKee, who has earned the title of Cumbria's marathon man, is no stranger to herculean challenges, as in 2022, he famously ran a marathon every day for a year.
This target of £100k is part of his bid to reach £1 million in total fundraising for Hospice at Home West Cumbria over the last five years.
He said: 'Reaching that £1 million target for Hospice at Home West Cumbria has been in my sights for a long time, and with just £100,000 to go, the 100toLDN challenge is my way of giving it one last big push.
'It's also special that Beau will be running the London Marathon with me at the end – he's been there throughout the journey, so it'll be a proud moment to cross the line together.'
From January 17 to April 26, he will run a marathon every day in his hometown of Cleator Moor. He will also travel around West Cumbria, running with schools and local community groups.
'This challenge is also a great chance to get back into the community – visiting schools, running with local groups, and encouraging people to get outdoors and stay active. That's always been a big part of what it's all about for me.
'Hospice at Home West Cumbria does incredible work supporting local families when they need it most. Every pound raised makes a difference, and I'm committed to doing whatever I can to help them keep going.'
Hayley McKay, director of funding and communication at Hospice at Home West Cumbria, said: 'When Gary contacted me to share his thoughts about a new challenge, I was initially lost for words. He already does so much for us. I was taken aback that he still wants to do more, still wants to keep going, and still wants to raise more funds.
'It's going to be another tough challenge, but I do not doubt that Gary will achieve everything he sets out to do.'
In 2023, Hospice appointed Gary as their Vice President in honour of his remarkable and outstanding efforts and fundraising over the years.
Hayley added: 'As a small local charity, we cannot express how grateful we are to Gary for his continued support. Every year, we care for hundreds of people across our region, providing them with wraparound support as they face the toughest of times. This work, spanning the last four decades, has been made possible thanks to our supporters and the incredible community.
'Hospice at Home West Cumbria can't wait to join Gary in his next chapter and celebrate with him his success. 100toLDN here we go!'
You can support Gary in his challenge by visiting 100toldn.com or by searching for 'Marathon Man Gary' on social media.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Medscape
an hour ago
- Medscape
After a Long Delay, ME/CFS Strategy Finally Arrives
The Department of Health and Social Care has published its long-delayed delivery plan to improve care and support for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The plan was welcomed by Action for ME as 'an important step towards recognising the scale and seriousness of the condition', but the charity warned it 'simply does not go far enough'. ME/CFS affects around 390,000 people in the UK. Symptoms include debilitating fatigue, sleep problems, and difficulties with thinking, concentration, and memory. Around one in four people diagnosed with the condition report being housebound or unable to work. Focus on Three Priority Areas The cross-government plan was developed in consultation with the NHS and external stakeholders. It focuses on three priorities: Research Attitudes and education Living with ME/CFS A consultation on the interim plan, launched in July 2023, revealed widespread dissatisfaction with how people with ME/CFS are treated. Respondents reported difficulties accessing specialist services, negative attitudes from professionals, and challenges relating to education, welfare, and employment, including benefits. Delays Sparked Criticism In February this year, Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Helen Morgan told The Times the plan represented an 'opportunity to move away from this legacy of neglect towards a transformation of care and research'. However, she noted that it had taken 33 months and five health secretaries to get to this point. When the final plan was still unpublished last month, Morgan described the further delay as 'inexcusable'. People with ME and their carers had been 'left behind for decades', she said. 'They have faced inadequate care, scant research funding, no treatments, and little hope of a better future.' Government Acknowledges Patient Concerns In the plan's foreword, Minister for Public Health and Prevention Ashley Dalton acknowledged the inconsistency of care and the feeling among some patients that their condition had not been appropriately recognised by the health and care system. 'I know that those with severe or very severe ME/CFS, and their families and carers, have often felt particularly let down by those systems,' she said. In a separate letter to members of the ME/CFS Task and Finish Group on the day of the final plan's launch, Dalton acknowledged: 'People living with ME/CFS often face stigma and misunderstanding,' which she attributed to 'a lack of awareness and education about the condition.' The final plan includes a commitment to introduce new training for NHS healthcare professionals 'as a priority' to address stigma and improve professional understanding. Access to Services and Employment Support The government said that ME/CFS patients would benefit from closer-to-home care under neighbourhood health services, as outlined in its 10-year health plan. It also promised support through reforms to benefit assessment processes and employment initiatives for people with long-term conditions and disabilities. However, Action for ME said these proposals lacked detail and failed to show how they would bring about 'meaningful change'. Research Funding Still Limited The plan includes increased funding for ME/CFS research via the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the Medical Research Council. This includes exploring the repurposing of existing medicines for ME/CFS. However, Action for ME warned that competitive grant processes were 'unlikely to reverse the long history of underfunding of ME research'. Other conditions, such as dementia, mental health, and rare diseases benefit from dedicated platforms with sustained, multi-million-pound funding, it said. Calls for Strategic Commitment Action for ME also criticised the government for ignoring its calls for strategic research funding and a dedicated ME research hub. Chief Executive Sonya Chowdhury said the plan was an 'important step for the ME community, long overlooked and under-served'. However, she added 'the plan must not be a token gesture – it requires a sustained, strategic commitment to care, funding, and research'. In her foreword, Dalton said future funding would depend on what is 'practically feasible and financially viable and affordable, especially within the challenging current fiscal climate'.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Cricketer Graham Thorpe ‘spiralled into depression' after job loss, inquest told
Former England cricketer Graham Thorpe 'spiralled into depression' after losing his job as a batting coach in 2022, an inquest has heard. The 55-year-old died on the morning of August 4 2024 after being struck by a train at a railway station in Surrey and his widow Amanda Thorpe later said he had taken his own life. An inquest at Surrey Coroner's Court in Woking on Wednesday heard that Mr Thorpe was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2018 and previously tried to take his own life in 2022. An incident involving a leaked video in Australia that year had left him 'distraught', the court was told. Mrs Thorpe said that up until 2020 there were no psychological issues in particular, apart from 'a bout of depression' in 2018 which did not affect his job. In a statement to the court, she said her husband 'found lockdown and Covid very difficult, very stressful'. While on tour in Australia, there was an 'incident involving a video that was taken that had adverse publicity'. Mr Thorpe shared a video with some friends which was leaked, and the incident was 'blown out of all proportion', leaving Mr Thorpe 'distraught', Mrs Thorpe's statement added. According to reports at the time, the video, filmed after a dismal Ashes series which England lost 4-0, showed Tasmanian police breaking up a drinking session involving both England and Australia players. Mrs Thorpe described it as a 'horrible' time, and said the later termination of his employment with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) was a 'real shock to Graham', which was the 'start of the decline of his mental health'. Coroner Jonathan Stevens read a statement from Mr Thorpe's GP, Dr Joan Munnelly, who said the cricketer was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2018. Dr Munnelly said an attempt to take his own life in 2022 resulted in a brain injury and he was in intensive care. Mr Thorpe spent time in a private hospital after he was discharged. By 2023, Mr Thorpe had suicidal thoughts, Mrs Thorpe said, and after Christmas he was 'in a terrible way'. The last contact between Mr Thorpe and those responsible for his psychiatric care was in June last year, and Mrs Thorpe felt that he should have been 'assessed properly', the court heard. In a statement, Mr Thorpe's father, Geoff Thorpe, said the video incident had 'caused catastrophic damage to him' and 'ultimately he lost his job', then quickly 'spiralled into depression'. Mr Thorpe became 'more and more desperate and helpless in the last year of his life', he added. Reading Geoff Thorpe's statement, the coroner said: 'You felt those who were responsible for Graham's safety and care could've done more to intervene.' Professor Nick Pierce, the ECB's chief medical officer, said in a statement that after Mr Thorpe's employment ended in February 2022 his private health insurance cover was extended until the May. In May the ECB was advised that Mr Thorpe had attempted to take his own life, and he explained that 'at no point during Graham's time at ECB had there been any concern regarding a risk of self harm or intent to end life'. He added that the ECB healthcare trust was approached about helping to cover the costs of treatment for Mr Thorpe at a hospital and the trustees agreed. Mr Thorpe was a mainstay in the England set-up for many years, first as a batter between 1993 and 2005 before spending 12 years in coaching roles. During a distinguished international career, he struck 16 Test hundreds for England, including a debut century against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1993, and represented his country 182 times in all formats. The inquest continues.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Coca-Cola Company to use cane sugar in new Coke product
The Coca-Cola Company is planning to launch a new Coke soft drink using cane sugar, the company's CEO James Quincey confirmed yesterday (22 July). Speaking on a company results call for its second-quarter 2025, Quincey said: "Yes, we're going to be bringing a coke sweetened with US cane sugar into the market this fall, and I think that will be an enduring option for consumers." Last week, US President Donald Trump said the company had agreed to use cane sugar in its namesake drinks in the US. In a post on social media outlet Truth Social, Trump said: 'I have been speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL cane sugar in Coke in the United States, and they have agreed to do so.' The company's classic Coca-Cola Original drink is made with high-fructose corn syrup in the US. The product is made with sugar in countries including the UK and Australia, while it contains cane sugar in Mexico. Quincey told analysts yesterday the company already uses cane sugar in several of its products in the US, such as lemonade, teas and some of its coffee and Vitamin Water brands. "We are definitely looking to use the whole toolbox, the whole toolkit of available sweetening options to some extent, where there are consumer preferences," he said. "We know our success rate [is], substantially above the industry. But it's still a question of it takes time and commitment to build something new." There has been growing scrutiny of the recipes of food and beverages sold in the US since President Trump took office in January. US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has accused the country's food and drink industries of 'poisoning' Americans. He has also described high-fructose corn syrup as 'just a formula for making you obese and diabetic'. In the three months ended 27 June, the Fuze teas maker saw net revenues grow 1% and 5% organically to $12.5bn. Gross profit was up 3.5% at $7.8bn, while operating income jumped 62.6% on the same period in 2024 to $4.2bn. The group booked small declines in unit case volumes in Latin America, Asia Pacific and North America, where they dropped 2%, 1% and 3% respectively. The company's Bottling Investments segment, which holds its consolidated bottling operations, saw unit case volumes dip 5% in the second quarter. Coca-Cola attributed the drop to "a decline in India and the impact of refranchising bottling operations." Operating income also dropped 39% in this business. Total consolidated unit case volumes dipped 1%. "Coca-Cola Company to use cane sugar in new Coke product" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
