Eastbourne man to run a marathon every day in memory of childhood best friend

Lleyton Edwards is set to run 50km daily for 20 days – to put this into perspective, a marathon is 42km in length.

Starting this weekend (August 3), the 21-year-old will run a total of 1,000km in memory of his childhood friend who died, aged 20, following a diagnosis of a rare type of leukaemia.

Luke Bailey was diagnosed in 2021, and later had a bone marrow transplant as part of his treatment. However, six months later, he was diagnosed with Graft Versus Host Disease – a side effect which occurs when the graft’s immune cells attack the recipient’s body.

In his final year of life, Luke survived on 18 per cent lung function, but Lleyton said ‘you would have thought he just had a common cold’.

Lleyton said: [He was] just smiling and trying to make the most of his life.

"This inspired me everyday to make sure I live life the way I want to live it, so I can look back one day with no regrets, as you never know what curve balls life is going to throw your way.

"Luke couldn’t breathe oxygen without having tubes up his nose 24/7. He couldn’t get up and walk five metres without need to stop and catch his breath back for five minutes.

“It is a privilege to be able to get up and walk to the fridge to get something to eat, and it is little things like this I feel some people take for granted everyday.”

Lleyton said he has been inspired by the phrase ‘for those that can’t’.

He added: “That is what drives me everyday, not just in training but in life. I want to inspire others to live life in the same way.”

Lleyton, who now lives in Australia, is hoping to raise the equivalent to more than £25,000 for the Leukaemia Foundation.

He has been preparing for the mammoth challenge for months, and is currently 13 per cent of the way to his fundraising target.

He said: “Training is going really well. I’m tapering down now, so just resting and recovering, eating plenty of food and drinking plenty of water. Doing ice baths, compression boots, saunas. The whole lot.

“I’m more motivated than ever. I’m going to complete this and I’m going to make Luke proud doing it.

"The money I raise will help provide care for those in need right now — and it will back the brightest researchers to continue uncovering faster diagnoses and better treatments to save lives.”

To donate, visit: https://fundraise.leukaemia.org.au/fundraisers/Lleytons1000Over20.