Widower to undertake ultramarathon in wife’s memory

A man who lost his wife will embark on a demanding 100km (62 miles) ultramarathon next summer. His aim is to generate funds for the cancer charity that supported his late wife. Billy Green’s spouse, Katelen, 24, had stage four cancer and passed away in January, merely weeks after their Christmas wedding. Mr. Green, a resident of Telford, stated that the period since his wife’s death has been the most challenging of his life. However, he has discovered comfort through a renewed passion for running and physical fitness. The 29-year-old informed BBC Radio Shropshire that his wife’s journey inspired him to contribute to others, and he hopes to raise £5,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support when he participates in the Race to the Stones event. “It’s been a really hard, challenging year,” he said. “It’s just been me and my son, and I’ve just been trying to focus on him now.” He added, “I wanted to do an ultramarathon, and I couldn’t think of a better way to do one than to do it with a fundraiser in memory of my wife.” He concluded, “I think it is a good way to honour her memory.” Katelen was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer affecting the lymphatic system, when she was just 19. Despite requiring daily trips to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for chemotherapy, the couple still desired their dream wedding. After finding their ideal venue, Stanford Farm in Halfway House, the family was astonished when the owners and suppliers donated everything to them without charge. Mr. Green mentioned that this month marks one year since the ceremony, which has brought back many memories. He further stated that taking up running over the past few months has helped him to cope with his grief. He elaborated, “It clears your mind, and that’s why it’s been so good for me with this year being so hard.” Mr. Green is now a consistent trail runner and will undertake his most significant challenge next year. He will participate in Race to the Stones on 12 July, an event that traverses the Chiltern Hills and North Wessex Downs before reaching the finish line at Avebury Stone Circle in Wiltshire. He remarked, “It’s going to be a challenging one.” For updates from BBC Shropshire, follow on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.