Michael O’Leary completed the fourth and final leg of his four-marathon walk at Bewl Water last month, raising £25,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
The 70 year old, from Camber, is a long-term supporter of the charity and undertook the 108-mile challenge specifically in memory of a remarkable young cancer patient.
“The inspiration came from a young man, Matt Rieley,” he said. “At one of our fundraising events, Matt, who had cancer and was being treated on a Teenage Cancer Trust unit, gave an amazing speech. He made us laugh, cry and understand what he was going through. We had a great time with him. He enchanted everybody.
“Then he told me he had to go back to hospital that week and have some serious treatment. I listened to this young guy and thought I could never be that brave. Everybody at the event was amazed at him. Matt was 17 then. He passed away in May, aged just 19.”
He added: “The Teenage Cancer Trust supports about half of the teenagers in the UK with cancer. We need to make sure they can help every one of them.”
Michael was accompanied by 20 friends and family along with representatives of the trust.
Regional Fundraiser Jade McShane joined him for the last leg of his walk.
She said: “Michael has worked tirelessly to raise money for us for years and I want to thank him and all his team for their amazing support.
“This marathon walk was a fantastic event and it was a privilege to be part of it.”
To donate, go to www.justgiving.com and search for Michael O’Leary. For more about the charity, visit www.teenagecancertrust.org
