Mel Hartley was a truly inspirational woman. She defied all odds, completing extraordinary feats while courageously battling aggressive and terminal cancer. From running the Yorkshire Marathon against medical advice to crossing the finish line of the Rob Burrows Half Marathon as her body failed her—she was far more than just determined.

Mel wanted to make a difference to local people in Yorkshire. She wanted to help other cancer patients to buy a wig if they couldn’t afford one, to help someone go on holiday with their loved ones, to help them access alternative therapies, or pay for an annual gym or swimming membership to get them active again.

She couldn’t find any other charity that offered this kind of diverse and practical support, so she chose to set one up herself.

Mel wanted to create a legacy that would help some of the cancer patients that she met throughout her journey, and many more to come, and so Melanie’s Miles of Hope was born.