A FATHER and daughter duo from Witney will run this Sunday’s Oxford Half Marathon tied to each other, in a bid to raise awareness about a rare muscle condition.
Neil Sleight, 59, and Kirsty Sleight, from Madley Park, have decided to take on the challenge in support of Kirsty’s 34-year-old sister, Alana Inness, who has myotonic dystrophy, a form of muscular dystrophy.
They will raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign and have so far had more than £500 pledged in sponsorship for the event, which will see some 6,700 runners take to the city streets.
Ms Inness said: “After my diagnosis two years ago, the hardest thing was not knowing what my prognosis was. Although I currently have very few symptoms, I know that this may not be the case for long.”
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There were very few treatments available, Ms Inness said, so she has signed up to take part in a research study to help find more treatments.
“My family have always been supportive, but this will be the first time my sister has run this far and knowing her and my step-dad are doing it because they want to help me and others fight the debilitating nature of this condition means so much to me. I am so proud of them.”
Muscular Dystrophy Campaign said it supports some 70,000 families in the UK.
Of those about 9,000 – four per cent – are affected by Ms Inness’ condition, which includes muscle wastage and muscles having difficulty relaxing after contracting.
The charity has recently ploughed £177,000 of funding into a research project at Glasgow University to better understand the genetic mutations which cause it.
It is hoped that the project will help give people affected more foreknowledge about what symptoms they will experience.
Mr Sleight and his daughter will be joining thousands of others raising money for their chosen charities on Sunday.
The run will start and finish at the Kassam Stadium, with runners setting off at 9.30am.
This year, for the first time in the half marathon’s four-year history, places have sold out.
Another first will also be the inclusion of the Roger Bannister Running Track in Iffley Road in the race, in honour of Sir Roger breaking the four-minute-mile record at the site 60 years ago.
Sir Roger will open the event on Sunday and will also be available to sign copies of his new book, Twin Tracks: The Autobiography, from 8am to 9am at the Kassam Stadium.
The official charities of the half marathon are Oxford-based organisation Oxfam, as well as East Oxford hospice Helen & Douglas House and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.
- For more information visit oxfordhalf.co.uk
- To sponsor the Sleights, visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=myotonic-dystrophy-appeal&isTeam=true
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