5th May 2010

BEAMINSTER: Mum finishes marathon

by Paul Crompton

AN emotional challenge to complete the London marathon has seen a Beaminster mother raise over £5,000 in memory of her late son.

Marathon mother Emma Gale completed this year’s event to raise money for the Meningitis Research Foundation after losing her son Oscar, three, to Streptococcal Meningitis.

Cheered on by husband Brian, daughter Elizabeth and sons Toby and Eddy and extended family and friends along the 26 miles Mrs Gale finished in four hours and 46 minutes.

Mrs Gale said: “When I saw my family along the way I ran up and hugged them and cried. It was really emotional, especially the reason behind why I was running, but I guess everyone running had their own story.

“It was really good. The crowds along the route were amazing, they really spurred you on so much.

“I would do a lot of other challenges without a doubt, but I won’t be running another marathon, one is enough.

Mrs Gale has far exceeded her expectation of raising £3,000, but has achieved her goal of raising awareness of the disease which took Oscar, who died in 2001 just before his fourth birthday.

She thanked the people of Beaminster for their support during the months of build up, either training with her or babysitting and for their generosity, saying they had been “wonderful in every way”.

“I think it felt like people had always wanted to do something to help in a sense and this was a way to give some help,” she said.

“I think they were so generous because of the cause. The people of Beaminster have always been supportive to us and this was just a continuation of that.”

PICTURE: EMOTIONAL JOUNREY - Emma Gale with her medal after completing the London Marathon

BEAMINSTER: Mum finishes marathon

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