Leeds man will run London Marathon in memory of the mum he lost suddenly

David Allison decided to take on the 26-mile challenge for his mum, Linda Harvey, who was a longtime sufferer of dilated cardiomyopathy, and died suddenly from a heart attack last September.

The money he raises will be donated to Cardiomyopathy UK, which had supported Linda throughout her illness.

David, aged 48, of Chapel Allerton, said: “I’m running the London marathon to remember and celebrate the life of my dear mum Linda, who died suddenly last year after suffering with cardiomyopathy - a hereditary disease of the heart muscle - for over 20 years.

“We’d recently spoken about how she’d love it if I ran for the wonderful charity Cardiomyopathy UK, so I want to honour that promise. She received wonderful support from them through having the chance to meet other sufferers, share stories, and learn more about how to deal with the disease.”

Cardiomyopathy UK is a specialist national charity for people affected by cardiomyopathy, that aims to help everyone affected by the disease to lead long and fulfilling lives. The charity provides support and information services, works to raise awareness of the condition, and campaigns for better access to quality treatment and promote research.

David, who is also a member of the Chapel Allerton Runners club in Leeds, added: “Cardiomyopathy UK do essential work in helping prolong and enrich the lives of sufferers through support and research - my mum hugely outlived the original prognosis she was given, which was completely down to the huge advances in our understanding and treatment of the disease.

“After all they did for mum, it’s my time to raise money and ultimately help others who suffer from cardiomyopathy.”