Leukaemia charity boss takes on 270-mile fundraising challenge

The chief executive of a leukaemia charity is to run 270 miles in 14 days as part of a “vital” fundraising challenge.

James McLaughlin, the chief executive of Cure Leukaemia, which is based in Birmingham, is taking on the Run the Nations challenge to raise funds for the charity to help blood cancer patients.

During the challenge, which is held during Blood Cancer Awareness Month, Mr McLaughlin will visit 29 blood cancer centres across the UK, where Cure Leukaemia supports clinical trial networks.

Mr McLaughlin said: “[The fundraising is] vital. We don’t have the benefit of government funding, so all the funds we raise are done via crazy challenges or donations and corporate support.”

The challenge is the equivalent of 10 marathons and will begin and end with a 27-mile run – serving as a reminder that every 27 seconds, somebody across the world is diagnosed with blood cancer.

Mr McLaughlin added: “The challenge is there to raise awareness of this horrible disease and more importantly to raise funds for the professors, the doctors and the nurses that we support to give our blood cancer patients the best chance of the new treatments that are fast becoming available.”

On Thursday, the chief executive will be carrying out the Birmingham leg of the run, starting with a 27-mile run from Worcester to Birmingham.

Joining him on this leg will be 27 runners, including former Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion footballer and Cure Leukaemia ambassador, Ben Foster.

The charity’s annual event is being expanded this year to include Move The Nations, which encourages people to get involved through their own running, walking, or cycling challenges during Blood Cancer Awareness Month.

Mr McLaughlin will also visit Birmingham Children’s Hospital before setting off on the run.

It is one of the 11 children’s hospitals that will form the ATICUS transplant trials network, which claims to bring new and less toxic treatment to children with blood cancer through clinical trials.

The charity is aiming to raise £150,000 towards to cost of establishing the network.

Mr McLaughlin said he would meet doctors, nurses and patients during his run.

“This is why I’ve done this challenge over the years,” he said.

“The aim is to find those cures for those people in those hospital beds and in tribute to those who have died from this disease.”