South Yorkshire fundraiser channels nan's WWII fighting spirit as he takes on virtual marathon for cancer charity

Darren Renshaw, 46, decided to run the London Marathon for The Institute of Cancer Research, London, after his nan learned that her breast cancer had returned.

Brenda, aged 94, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009.

After undergoing surgery, she was given the all-clear, but the cancer then came back. Despite again being successfully treated, Brenda was told last year that the cancer had returned once more.

The WWII veteran, who joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service – the women’s branch of the British Army – at the age of 18, and drove ambulances during WWII, is no stranger to fighting. But, as she is now 94 years’ old, doctors have decided that it’s best not to give her any further treatment and are instead focusing on managing the disease.

Darren hasn’t been able to see his nan properly since the coronavirus pandemic began earlier this year, but has taken his family to wave at her through the window.

He hopes that he can take up the fight against cancer in her honour by supporting the work of The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR).

Three ‘strong women’ in Darren’s family have now been directly affected by cancer.

Darren’s mum was diagnosed with skin cancer in 2007 and his sister-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011.

Both have, thankfully, made a full recovery, and Darren wants to ensure that future generations are protected.

The father of two applied to run the London Marathon last year, after successfully completing the Berlin Marathon for the ICR in 2018. When the event was cancelled, Darren decided he didn’t want to let his sponsors down and so signed up to run the virtual race instead.

Darren will be setting off from his house at 5:30am on Sunday 4 October and hopes to be back home by 9:30am so he can take his son to football practice.

His run will take him through Rotherham, Sheffield and Barnsley – and Darren’s had to come to terms with the fact that it will involve slightly more hills than the London

Marathon route.

To support Darren and help the ICR finish cancer, click here