Blackpool man with rare cancer gene to run virtual London Marathon after beating coronavirus

Mark Gray, 49, of Penrose Avenue in Marton, was diagnosed with Covid-19 in May, while working as a senior manager at Asda in Skelmersdale.

His symptoms started as a cough and sore throat on a Friday, but two days later he was struggling to breathe and was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital by ambulance.

Mark explained that he was susceptible to catching the virus due to a rare genetic cancer gene he inherited from his father.

At the age of 19, he lost his dad to cancer. A few years later, his brother Paul and his sister Vicky both died after also being diagnosed with the disease.

Another sister, Laura, was diagnosed with breast cancer, but is now in remission.

"I knew I was vulnerable to getting Covid-19 but I'm fit and healthy and I run a lot, so I didn't expect it to floor me like it did," Mark said.

"I was in bed for 13 days and couldn't move. I had pins and needles in my hands and fingers, and I struggled to breathe.

"My oxygen levels didn't go low enough for me to be admitted back to hospital, but on the last day of me being in bed it was absolute torture.

"Then suddenly it was like a switch had been flicked overnight and I began to recover."

After a cancer scare of his own in 2017, when medics at Blackpool Vic found abrasions on his lungs, Mark decided to make lifestyle changes to give him the chance of a healthier life.

"Both myself and Laura were told by doctors when we tested positive for the cancer gene that we were pretty certain to get it at some stage in our lives," Mark continued.

"I have full body MRI scans every year now so that if I do, doctors can catch it early.

"When I had the scare, I was 17 stone, so I decided to turn my life around after that and took up running in 2018.

"My first big run was the London Marathon in 2019, and this year I was supposed to be doing the Great North Run, the New York Marathon and the London Marathon again.

"Because of Covid they've all been cancelled, so I'm going to be running the 26.2 miles of the London Marathon virtually around Stanley Park instead.

"I have dedicated each mile to someone I knew personally who has died of cancer, and I've got their names printed on my running top."

Mark said it would be "challenging" to run the Marathon on October 4 without the usual crowds, but he will be supported by his friends at Blackpool Freedom Runners.

The runners will take turns to encourage him throughout each lap and ensure he stays hydrated.

All proceeds from Mark's virtual London Marathon will go to his chosen charity, the Institute of Cancer Research.

To donate, visit Mark's JustGiving page.