A GROUP of former St Julian's School pupils will be tackling the Newport Half Marathon this weekend to raise money for Laiah Palmer, who is being treated for leukaemia.
Mark Francis and his friends said they wanted to do something to support Laiah and her family, who have had "such a tough time" since her diagnosis.
The group have said they were determined to put themselves firmly out of their comfort zone – none of them are keen runners and for some this will be their first proper race.
Self-described as "some overweight, some fit, some unfit, crocked and injured", they will take on the 13-mile course around the city on Sunday.
Support for the idea has grown since Mr Francis and his friends – who were in school with Laiah's dad, Mike – decided to enter the half-marathon, and now the group of fundraisers has increased to 25 members.
They are hoping to raise £4,000 by completing the race, and all the money donated will be given directly to Laiah's family in the hope it can go towards something to "get their minds off what they've been going through".
Laiah was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia last September and has been receiving chemotherapy since. The treatment is expected to go on for two and a half years.
Speaking to the Argus this week, Laiah's dad sent "a big thank you" to those taking part in the fundraiser and to everyone who has donated, and gave an update on her treatment.
"As a family we will be forever grateful and will never be able to thank everyone enough," Mr Palmer said. "A special thank you to Mark for organising everything, as it was his idea to start the fundraiser and without him starting it, Sunday wouldn’t have been possible.
"Laiah is doing well at the moment. She is at a crucial stage in her treatment and has just entered a very intense stage of her chemotherapy, but has fought every step of the way and we know she will continue to do so.
"She has been poorly of late but recent blood tests returned to a level to which chemotherapy was able to continue, as she had recently been admitted into hospital after picking up an infection where treatment had been stopped.
"She fought well as she always has and is much better in herself. She continues to make myself, my wife Zoe and all our family proud and we know she will come out the other side fit and well."
Anyone wishing to donate to the runners' fundraising appeal can do so online at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Laiah-Palmer
The 13-mile Admiral City of Newport Half Marathon begins at 9am on Sunday in Usk Way, outside the university campus. The course takes runners to Caerleon and back to the city centre.
After the race, Mr Francis and friends have arranged live music at Horton's coffee house in Millennium Walk, and the event is open to the public.
"We will try and raise more funds and have a few drinks to take the pain away from the knees," he said.
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