Brothers, Ben and Matthew Gilkes, are to undertake two separate challenges in memory of a wife and sister-in-law. 

Ben’s wife, Lisa (36), lost her battle with a rare and aggressive form of cancer in April 2015. This sunday, Ben (43), will be pounding the streets from Newcastle to South Shields for 13.1 miles as he undertakes the Great North Run. Ben says “when Lisa was first diagnosed she encouraged me to take up running as a way of dealing with some of the stress caused by having to watch your wife and the mother of your children bravely coping with a terminal illness knowing that there is nothing you can do to stop her pain and make her better.” Initially, he would run for an hour a week in between dropping off and picking up their children, Ned (11), Tom (8) and Alice (7) from their various out of school activities. During Lisa’s last few months, she was admitted to St Catherine’s Hospice and as a Nurse herself, she was extremely thankful for the wonderful care she received during her final 3 months. Ben says “I will never be able to thank enough all the caring and dedicated staff at St Catherine’s, not only for the nursing care given to Lisa but also for the support they have provided me and our children. Lisa was adamant that as a family we should continue to support the Hospice in any way we can, so lacing up my trainers seems like a fitting way to raise vital funds for St Catherine’s.”

On the following Sunday (18^th September) at 07:15, Matthew will be entering the sea at Tenby along with 2000 other competitors as he starts Ironman Wales with a 2.4 mile swim, followed by cycling 112 miles before finally running a marathon (26.2 miles). All this has to be completed in under 17 hours. For most people, undertaking an Ironman is a massive challenge but for Matthew Ironman Wales is merely the start of what he has called ‘The Epic Adventure – Tenby to Tower'. Rather than driving home the day after Ironman Wales, Matthew will be cycling back, starting with 150 miles to Snowdon on Monday, Tuesday will see him climb Mount Snowdon before back on the bike again on Wednesday to cycle 110 miles to St Catherine’s Hospice before hopping off the bike, changing into his trainers to run 25 miles to finish at Blackpool Tower. 

Matthew previously completed Ironman UK in 2014 and despite saying never again, he made a promise to Lisa. “Lisa was proud to be Welsh and would regularly holiday with Ben and their children in Tenby, so to take part in a race in a place that gave them lots of happy memories made it an easy decision.” Matthew spoke with Lisa about his plans for ‘The Epic Adventure – Tenby to Tower’ and whilst thinking he was mad was also touched that sponsorship would be raised in her memory to benefit other patients and their families. Matthew has talked his two friends; Scott Ross and Dom Roe or as they are collectively known dumb, dumber and dumbest, to join him in ‘The Epic Adventure’.

Dom has his own special reasons to undertake 'The Epic Adventure'; as a way of remembering and raising money in memory of his former teacher and friend Jeff Emmett. Dom's first experienced of Jeff or as he was known to a young Dom, Mr Emmett was as his English teacher at Cardinal Allen High School. Dom say "Jeff was a wonderful and inspiring teacher and in later life I was lucky enough to know him as a friend".