Jack Brodie who had skin cancer is set to run Edinburgh Marathon

A Scottish man diagnosed with skin cancer at the age of 16 is preparing to run in his first marathon alongside touring the country giving talks in schools about the illness.

Jack Brodie will raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support by running in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival on 26 May.

The 21-year-old from Edinburgh was originally given the life-changing diagnosis as he was “trying to make my sixth and final year of school some sort of success”.

However, after a successful operation and subsequent treatment Jack was told that he was finally cancer-free.

“For me, the days with cancer will never end and I will always be attached to it in some way, or another,” he said. 

“I still remember the beige walls in the doctor’s office when I was given the gut-wrenching diagnosis. Macmillan were there with every step of the way from my diagnosis and I maintain being friends with my Macmillan nurse.

“My diagnosis completely changed my life and the lives of those around me.

“Having seen the effect the disease has, I’ll be running for the others affected by cancer.”

Jack has written a moving blog account of his experience called ‘War Wounds: what it’s like to be 16 and told you have cancer’, in which he lays bare the experience.

The Edinburgh Marathon Festival is Scotland’s largest running event and will involve thousands of runners putting on their running shoes in the Scottish capital and covering 26.2 miles.

Last year Macmillan raised more than £580,000 in the one weekend as thousands of runners put on the green Macmillan T-shirt.

Michelle Campbell, fundraising manager in Scotland for Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “We’re so grateful to all our runners taking on the Edinburgh Marathon challenge and wish them the best of luck for race day.

posted Tuesday May 14th