Fundraiser Approaches £2 Million Milestone for Cancer Research, Inspired by Late Father

A teacher has dedicated 26 years to running, raising funds for Cancer Research, and is nearing a total of £2 million, despite admitting she does not “particularly enjoy” the activity. Gill Punt initiated her fundraising efforts following her father’s diagnosis with bile duct cancer. “He went bright yellow one weekend and went into hospital to have some tests but unfortunately, it was the worst case scenario,” she said. Ms Punt, a PE teacher based in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, has accumulated over £1.94 million to date and intends to surpass the £2 million threshold during her upcoming run. “I’m hoping to hit my goal at the polar night marathon in the Arctic Circle,” she said. Ms Punt mentioned that her father, who passed away in 1999, maintained a brave demeanor for his family as his illness advanced quickly. “He was very stoic, positive, and refused to be angry about it, and he felt that he would try and make the most of every single day that he was given.” She undertook her initial marathon with the aim of “put a smile on dad’s face and raise some money for charity.” She recounted: “My father was a very good sportsman, and whenever the London Marathon was on, he’d be tucking into his full English breakfast, watching it on the TV and say: ‘Well, that’s all very impressive, but anyone can put on a pair of trainers and shuffle around.'” She added, “It became a family joke,” explaining, “so that’s why I did my first marathon back in 1999.” Ms Punt finished her 26th marathon on 10 November in Athens, Greece, contributing to the £16,000 raised for Cancer Research UK. “I’ve done over 70 half marathons, and probably over 100 10km runs, and numerous Race For Life 5km runs.” While she acknowledges her fundraising endeavors have expanded significantly, she stated that contributing to the search for a cancer cure remains her primary motivation. “I still don’t particularly enjoy running, but we’ve just got to keep going because, although, yes, it’s a lot of money, there’s still a long way to go to get cures. “So I will keep going until we get to the ultimate finishing line – a world without cancer.” For updates, follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.