AN OXFORD woman is being spurred on by her mother’s illness to complete the London Marathon this year.

Lucy Thomas, 24, a self-proclaimed “couch potato”, is hoping to raise £2,000 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Her mother, Denise Gardner, was diagnosed with MS eight years ago.

Miss Thomas, a sales executive with Volkswagen in Rose Hill, said: “It completely changed everything.

“When she got diagnosed, she had lost all the feeling from the waist down and couldn’t take a bath by herself.

“And as hard as it was for us, it was harder for her.

“It was hard to have her daughter help her do things, which she didn’t think she’d need until she was elderly.”

The Headington resident said: “I’m not a runner, in fact couch potato is probably a better description. So this will be a huge challenge for me.

“I’ve gone from only getting exercise by walking around work to thinking ‘oh my God, I have to run 26 miles’.”

Mrs Gardner, 48, said: “The charity are always at the end of the phone.

“They’re always there if I need to speak to anybody.

“I’m very proud of Lucy.”

To sponsor Miss Thomas go online at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/lucythomasrunning 4mum