Shoppers give help to marathon dad’s fundraising effort
Running for brain tumour research in memory of Ria
A father braved the pouring rain to raise money for his marathon later this year.
Adam Ramadhen, 31, was out collecting in Week Street, Maidstone, on Saturday, collecting for Brain Tumour Research five years on from the death of his Coxheath sister-in-law.
Doctors gave Ria Kelly just six months to live after she was diagnosed with a high-grade brain tumour in 2009.
But the “inspirational” sister and daughter fought for four years before her death in 2013.
Now Mr Ramadhen, from Marden, is hoping to raise thousands on the fifth anniversary of her death, by taking on the 26.2 mile challenge.
He said: “Ria really was inspirational. She was diagnosed with the worst possible grade tumour, grade four, and went through brain surgery twice.
“She completely changed her lifestyle, cutting out things like sweets and alcohol, to fight the disease.”
Shoppers in the town centre helped fill the City worker’s buckets with £360 of donations, all going towards the accountant’s £7,000 target.
He said: “When Ria died, my wife set up a memorial page and it managed to raise about £7,000, I think people just wanted to offer their support. We just want to raise as much as possible to make sure no other family has to go through what we went through.”
Wife Aissa Ramadhen said: “We all miss my sister Ria very deeply and she continues to motivate and inspire us in life and in the challenges we set ourselves.
“The whole family is supporting Adam in this challenge as we want to raise as much attention and money as possible to help families everywhere who go through the heartache of discovering partners, children, siblings and parents have this cruel disease.”
Mr Ramadhen added: “I’m up to 16 miles when I train so with a couple of months left I’m feeling confident.”
So far the father-of-one has managed to raise more than £2,500, to help, visit tinyurl.com/ aramadhen
This year’s London Marathon takes place on Sunday, April 22.
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