'˜I owe them my life'

Paul Conner, finance director, at Inspired Energy of Kirkham who ran to Greaet North Run raising Â£4,000 for charity just a year after completing that last of his own cancer treatment

Paul Connor, finance director at Inspired Energy of Kirkham, finished the race in one hour and 55 minutes.

While the time might not have challenged winner Mo Farah it was a triumph for Pual as he raised more than £4,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Paul was diagnosed with Large Cell B Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in April 2016.

He underwent a gruelling period of chemotherapy and was finishing his eighth session when he saw the race on television last year.

Paul, 33, who has worked at Inspired Energy for four years, said: “I was inspired by the story of a girl in remission who was running after treatment and I thought that I was going to do that.

“It was a good news story, which I think is very important to people going through what I went through.

“It gives them hope.

“A cancer diagnosis and treatment plan can be incredibly difficult for not only the individual, but their family and friends.

“I owe my life to the on-going developments and progression in cancer treatment charities such as Cancer Research continue to achieve.

“Taking part in the Great North Run 2017, and fund-raising in the process, is my small way of saying a very big thank you.

“It also hopefully provides one or two people who unfortunately come into contact with cancer with another good news story, the likes of which gave me focus and determination to get me through those tough days following your diagnosis.”