Doting son completes Matterhorn Sky challenge amid vow to create legacy in mum's memory after she died from brain tumour
Determined to raise as much money as possible in memory of his mum, a man has tackled a gruelling ultra marathon in the Alps.
Jesse Walklin took on the mammoth Matterhorn Sky ultra-marathon, in Zermatt, last weekend to raise money for Brain Tumour Research, after his mum died last July.
Caroline Walklin had retired as a pastoral care worker at Crofton School, when she was diagnosed with a grade 3 oligodendroglioma brain tumour in June 2022. The diagnosis came after she starting fainting and experiencing episodes of sickness.
Doctors originally thought she had long COVID until a scan revealed an incurable, cancerous brain tumour. Despite undergoing surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy she died two years after her diagnosis.
Her 32-year-old son, alongside his friend, Alex Wilcockson from Bedhampton, ran 50km and climbed a total elevation of 3,600 metres as part of the treacherous mountain trial.
Jesse said: “Alex and I didn’t manage to do too much training for the Matterhorn Sky – our longest practice runs were 18km. But our motivation to get the job done was paramount.
“Raising funds to help bring about better outcomes for brain tumour patients is vital – it’s only with greater investment into research that we’ll find more effective treatments and ultimately a cure.
“It’s why I’m setting up a Fundraising Group, known as Caroline’s There, under the umbrella of Brain Tumour Research, to create a fitting legacy for Mum.”
.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65)
Comleting the intense challenge in 10 hours and nine minutes, the Matterhorn Sky marks Jesse’s third major fundraising event.
Last year, Jesse ran the London Marathon dressed in a giant pink brain suit, and in January of this year, completed the Polar Night Half Marathon in Tromso, Norway, taking his grand total raised to £33, 816.
Jesse added: “All the way through her treatment, Mum only cared about how it affected everyone else. Knowing there’s no cure is a hard reality and was tough for us all to accept, especially when there are so many medicines and treatments for other cancers.
“With sufficient investment in research, it must be possible to make a difference, which is why I am determined to raise as much money as possible for the charity, now through Caroline’s There.”
Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres across the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients.
Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We are deeply grateful to Jesse for his incredible efforts. Our Centres of Excellence bring together world-class researchers who are committed to understanding the complexities of brain tumours and developing more effective treatments.
“Every pound raised helps us sustain this critical research and brings us closer to finding a cure. Without increased investment, we risk losing the momentum we’ve built in uncovering the breakthroughs patients and families so desperately need.”