Husband of 25-year-old who died after brain tumour battle will run the Brighton Half Marathon with friends in his wife's memory

The three friends will be raising money for the Brain Tumour Research charity in memory of Sophie Alexander-Field.
Friends George Isaacs, Sarah Blackman and Liam Alexander will take on the Brighton Half MarathonFriends George Isaacs, Sarah Blackman and Liam Alexander will take on the Brighton Half Marathon
Friends George Isaacs, Sarah Blackman and Liam Alexander will take on the Brighton Half Marathon

Widower Liam Alexander, his best friend George Isaacs and George’s fiancée, Sarah Blackman will be running the Brighton Half Marathon on February 27 in aid of Brain Tumour Research.

George, 26, a primary school teacher at City Academy Whitehawk in Brighton, said: “I have only ever done a 10k, Liam’s never run before and Sarah hasn’t run since primary school so this is a bit bold but we have a 12-week plan to get ready.”

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The trio’s inspiration for the fundraiser comes from watching Liam’s wife, Sophie Alexander-Field’s battle from the time she was diagnosed with a grade 2 diffuse astrocytoma in August 2016 until her death on Christmas Eve last year, at the age of 25.

Liam Alexander and Sophie Alexander-Field on their wedding dayLiam Alexander and Sophie Alexander-Field on their wedding day
Liam Alexander and Sophie Alexander-Field on their wedding day

Sophie, a teaching assistant from Hove, had endured headaches and seizures, a biopsy, surgeries to debulk the tumour, radiotherapy and 11 cycles of chemotherapy before being told she had exhausted all options.

Liam, an electrical engineer from Ovingdean, met Sophie when they were shop assistants at Primark in Brighton at the age of 16. They were friends for more than five years before becoming a couple and were wed just two weeks before Sophie passed away.

The 26-year-old, who took part in a cycling challenge for the charity in August, said: “It’s a pleasure to be taking part in another challenge for Brain Tumour Research, this time with my friends. Anyone who knew Sophie would know she loved fundraising for charity and raising awareness about this horrible disease. I have no doubt she’d be very proud of what we’re trying to achieve in honour of her memory.”

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He added: “Sophie’s passing will always be the hardest thing I go through in my life but the almost four years we had together after her diagnosis were truly amazing. She never let her diagnosis or treatment hold her back; we did more in that short space of time than some couples do in a lifetime with multiple holidays, trips and just enjoying every day together, as well as getting married which was just the perfect day and one of my best memories.”

Liam and Sophie met when they were just 16. Liam said he had no doubt Sophie would be very proud of what the three friends were trying to achieve in honour of her memory.Liam and Sophie met when they were just 16. Liam said he had no doubt Sophie would be very proud of what the three friends were trying to achieve in honour of her memory.
Liam and Sophie met when they were just 16. Liam said he had no doubt Sophie would be very proud of what the three friends were trying to achieve in honour of her memory.

George, who didn’t see much of Sophie in her last year due to COVID-19 restrictions, said: “She thought she was getting better and the tumour was stable and was waiting to see what was happening when she had the shock of being told the chemo hadn’t been successful and all that was left was palliative care.”

He added: “Our families didn’t see her as ‘the girl with the brain tumour’. They remember her as the girl we couldn’t get off the stage at my 24th birthday. She was the life and soul of the party and lit up the room; her personality was infectious.”

Sarah, a nursery worker at Tarnerland Nursery in Brighton, said: “We all miss Sophie dearly so running this race in her memory and raising money for Brain Tumour Research is a real privilege. It’s definitely going to be a challenge as the furthest I have run is three miles.”

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Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet historically just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.

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