Press Release - 4th September 2003
Steve's Wheelchair Marathon Raises £5,900
Flanked by Dr Richard Cowan and Christie regional
appeals officer
Sarah Bate, Steve Williamson uses his mock cheque to
break through a mock marathon finishing line!In hospital with a broken back after a car accident,
Steve Williamson told a friend that one day he would take part
in the London Marathon
- in a wheelchair.
He says it was just an off the cuff remark. But the friend kept reminding him
and it became an ambition, achieved this year. Steve, 33, started the event
with 37 other paraplegics and crossed the finishing line, in 17th place, after
two hours four minutes.
It was an impressive performance, matched only by
the superb £5,900 he raised for various charities, including £1,000
for The Christie specialist cancer centre, Manchester.
A product design engineer for the Moores Furniture Group, Leeds, Steve presented
the cheque to Christie consultant Dr Richard Cowan, who is treating his father,
Dr Michael Williamson, of Bramshall, Staffordshire, for prostate cancer.
Brought up in Staffordshire but now living in Alwoodley, Leeds, Steve is also
giving £1,000 to the spinal injuries unit at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt
Hospital, Oswestry, Shropshire, where he spent five months after his accident
in 1993. The rest of the money is shared between St Giles Hospice, Staffordshire;
BACKUP and the Spinal Injuries Association, charities which give practical
help and information to people with spinal injuries.
He describes the London Marathon as "very gruelling", but is determined
to take part again.
He says: "It was such a fantastic experience. The crowds were amazing,
cheering us on and keeping us going. I had friends and family at about nine
different stages of the route so I had lots of support, all greatly appreciated
because it's very hard propelling a racing wheelchair by hand over 26 miles.
"Fortunately I had trained well and thought I knew what to expect from taking
part in last year's Manchester Marathon. I completed that in two hours 23 minutes
so I knew how exhausting the London one would be. But the buzz you feel makes
you forget all that.
"It's a great feeling, also, to be able to help
Christie's, where my father is receiving such good care, and the
various organisations that have helped me a great deal. A huge
thank you to all my sponsors for their astounding generosity".
Says The Christie regional appeals officer Sarah Bate: "We're so
pleased that Steve took the trouble to come to the hospital and present his
cheque personally. It will support the important research being carried out
here. Taking part in the London Marathon after all he's been through is a tremendous
achievement - he's a great guy"
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The Christie in Manchester is one of the leading cancer centres in Europe - registering around 12,500 new patients and treating about 40,000 patients every year.
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