Double Brighton and London Marathon challenge for Zoe

She will be running the Brighton Marathon on April 6, then the London Marathon on April 13, aiming to raise £2,000 in total for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation (RCLCF).

This is the fourth time she has run the Brighton Marathon and she chose the foundation for her charity last year as well, because her father, Barry Hancock, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2012.

Father and daughter had run the marathon together that same year, just two months before Barry was diagnosed with stage four inoperable lung cancer.

Zoe, 31, of Church Green, said: “The RCLCF means a lot to me - ever since my Daddio was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, it has been my mission to help the charity who do so much for people like my Dad by raising money for them but also awareness about the disease.

“My main challenge for hitting my target of £2,000 is to run two marathons in one week in April. Leading up this, I’m going to have some fundraising events and raffles to raise awareness and to help with my target amount.”

Zoe’s first fundraising day, held at her work on December 6, raised £326.

“Very happy with the amount and also the support from friends and family,” she said.

She ran the inaugural Brighton Marathon in 2010 for Macmillan Cancer Support, in memory of her grandad and mother-in-law, who both died of cancer.

Barry, of The Driveway, Shoreham, said: “That spurned me into a bit of a midlife crisis and while away on business, I was in an internet café in Cameroon when I decided to enter the 2011 one.”

He and Zoe ran the 2011 Brighton Marathon together, with Zoe finishing first but jumping the barrier to run with her father when he finished in 5hrs 54 mins.

He said: “It was an ‘interesting’ experience to say the least but very rewarding. Not only personally, but also due to the incredible support that I received from my friends and colleagues.”

They both entered the 2012 Brighton Marathon but Zoe had to pull out.

Barry said: “I ran it alone. About four weeks afterwards, I didn’t feel too well and some three weeks later, I was diagnosed with stage four inoperable lung cancer.”

Last year, Zoe ran alone in aid of the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and this year, she is doing the double.

Barry said he was proud of her efforts, as she is a single mum trying to balance work, two kids, training and fundraising.

He is still managing to work part-time. “I’m still fighting and having various treatments,” he added.

Visit www.justgiving.com/zoe-doublemarathon to make a donation.