EMMA’S CAPITAL GAINS IN MEMORY OF OAKLEY
Runner raises £3,000 for hospital after taking on London Marathon
RUNNER Emma Aberley-barker has raised more than £3,000 after taking on a marathon in memory of a teenage family friend.
Emma ran the London Marathon – a distance of 26.2 miles – and raised the cash for Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool in memory of Cheadle schoolboy Oakley Wright.
Oakley, aged 15, passed away in April 2020 after being diagnosed with a serious illness the month before.
Emma, from Kingsley Holt, said: “When I knew that I had definitely got a place in the London Marathon, my daughter, who ran with Oakley, said that I should raise money for the Alder Hey neuro department in Liverpool, which treated Oakley.
“I then spoke to Oakley’s mum, Jenny, and I agreed to raise money for the unit.
“I have managed to raise £3,000. Myself and Jenny are now going to travel to Liverpool and personally hand over the cheque to the doctors and nurses.
“I set a target to raise £500, so I am very happy to have raised £3,000. I got excellent support from all of my my family, friends and running colleagues.”
Oakley’s mum, Jenny Dalkins, said: “I’d like to take this opportunity to firstly thank Emma for raising such an amazing amount of money for the neurosurgery department at Alder Hey in Liverpool who worked so hard for Oakley and us as a family.
“I would also like to thank everybody who has donated money and family, friends and work colleagues for their kindness and generosity which will never be forgotten.
“You will all make such a difference to other families at the Alder Hey Hospital. We are so touched by the response and amazing amount that has been raised for such a fantastic cause.”
Emma completed the marathon in the excellent time of four hours, seven minutes and 31 seconds.
She said: “It was really hard in places and I seemed to struggle between six and seven miles. I soon got into my stride again and after that I felt a lot better.
“The crowd always keep everyone going, they are just brilliant all the way round.
“It’s such a fantastic occasion that the noise at certain points on the route was deafening.”