Lewis’s dad to run marathon for charity
THE FATHER of Lewis Hilton, a Halifax teenager who died of meningitis two years ago, is to run the London Marathon in his memory.
Lewis, 19, died in January 2018 of MenB, and his dad Morley is hoping his efforts will raise money for the charity Meningitis Now which will be used to fund research, awareness and support for people affected by the disease.
MenB is an abbreviation for MeningococcalB, Meningococcal refers to a type of bacteria that can cause meningitis.
Morley, who is a joiner, will be among the estimated 40,000 runners at the London Marathon on October 4, the new date for the event due to coronavirus. Morley is hoping to raise £2,000, and has already received £1,600 in donations in just three weeks.
“The response has been amazing, I’m really pleased,” he said. “I don’t think people can believe I’m doing it - neiof ther can I! I think most parents are aware of menA, C, W &Y, as there has been an NHS vaccination for a while, which Lewis had been given.
“But not menB, had we been aware of MenB and the vaccination, which at the time wasn’t available on the NHS we would have paid for it. All babies are now offered this vaccine as part the routine immunisation schedule, but anyone else would have to pay for it at Boots or similar – teenagers carry the bacteria in the back of the throat and so are a high risk group that I would encourage to have the vaccination
“Other people have been fundraising in Lewis’s memory, but this is the first time myself or Tracy (Lewis’s mum) have done something.”
Other fundraising activities have taken place in memory of Lewis, including running the Great North Run, two triathlons, the Huddersfield marathon, a trek to Mount Everest basecamp and numerous fundraising events organised by Lewis’s club, Old Rishworthian RUFC.
The Lewis Hilton Forever Fund, which is raising money for Meningitis Now, has raised nearly £35,000.
“I think he’d find it amusing,” said Morley when asked what Lewis would have thought of him running the marathon. “He’d think I was stupid, but he’d be proud.”
The Lewis Hilton Forever Fund has raised nearly £35,000
ONLINE: www.halifaxcourier. co.uk