A woman's world collapsed after her dad died of a brain tumour.
Elizabeth Murphy's dad Sean had beaten bowel cancer in 2015 and was in remission but when his brother died of cancer in October 2021 he requested an urgent cancer check-up scan which thankfully was all clear.
However, five months later he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and told he only had months to live, dying in September of last year. Now Elizabeth is running her first marathon in his honour.
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Elizabeth told the ECHO: "He was an incredible person, just a real family man with an infectious smile and was full of laughter, just loved by everybody.
"I have three sisters and we were all daddy's girls, nobody wants to lose a parent and it was such a big loss. The world around me collapsed it was a difficult time. Losing someone who was a big part of my life."
Elizabeth's dad was a former bus driver and Inspector from Northern Ireland and she said her fondest moments with her dad were their holidays to Donegal. The 33-year-old moved to Liverpool in 2021 and said she got to make "amazing memories" with him during the lockdown.
Elizabeth said: "I spent three years at home over the pandemic everything happens for a reason and I was meant to be there with him making memories. Being with him for all that time and then he was diagnosed with a brain tumour, I'm glad I had that time with him.
"I just remember all the trips to Donegal when we used to have our holidays down there with lots of laughs, listening to his favourite country music."
Elizabeth will be running the London Marathon this weekend in memory of her dad and to raise funds for the end-of-life charity Marie Curie. The charity cared for her dad in his final weeks before he died.
Elizabeth said: “I found when I was running it helped me with my grief. I now have the running bug and get out whenever I can. It has been amazing therapy for me.
"The care he received from Marie Curie was incredible. The nurses are like walking angels and so caring and compassionate - I don’t know how they do it."
Jen Corrigan Marie Curie Community Fundraiser for Merseyside added: “We are so grateful for Elizabeth and her dedication in doing the training and marathon. Every donation that Marie Curie receives allows us to continue our vital work to support terminally ill in the community providing care, advice, and support.”
To donate to Elizabeth’s online fundraiser click here.
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