Joel Staley, 38, from Radstock, is running the 2016 London Marathon this Sunday, 24th April to raise money for the British Lung Foundation.

Joel is running in support of his cousin, Dave Staley, who was diagnosed late last year with mesothelioma, an incurable and aggressive cancer mainly caused by exposure to asbestos.

Dave was aged just forty and had never knowingly worked or come into contact with asbestos in his life. He had surgery to remove his left lung just before Christmas and has since been through a gruelling course of chemotherapy. Despite all this, he and his young family have remained unbelievably positive.

Following surgery, Dave wrote on his blog: “We were told by one of our consultants, ‘It will feel like you have been hit by a truck and that each step would be a marathon’. Looking back, I wouldn’t argue with this, even though I have never run a marathon!”

Joel will join over a hundred other runners as part of the British Lung Foundation’s #TeamBreathe running team.

He hopes his marathon effort will help the BLF raise over £250,000 for vital

research, support and campaigning work to fight the impact of lung disease throughout the UK.

Commenting on his decision to run for the BLF, Joel said: “Dave can’t run a marathon, but I can, and I’m proud to be able to support him and the many others who are deeply affected by mesothelioma.

“The UK has the highest rate of mesothelioma in the world. This year around 2,500 will die of the disease, most of whom have been exposed to asbestos at work. I decided to run for the British Lung Foundation because they have been campaigning hard for more funding for treatments that patients desperately need. My training has gone well and I’m looking forward to the big day. What has really kept me going through the long training sessions over the winter months is knowing that it’s all for a worthwhile cause.”

Anyone who would like to support Joel can do so via: www.justgiving.com/Joel-

Staley3/

Kiera Ridge, Events and Community Fundraising officer for the BLF, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Joel for his fantastic support. It’s thanks to the amazing fundraising efforts of people like him that we are able to continue our work.”