Ben Shephard runs his first marathon

Whilst the London Marathon was underway, 130 runners took to the Island of Tresco to run the world’s smallest marathon to raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. GMTV presenter Ben Shephard, who is a patron of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, came in 31st with a fantastic finishing time of 3 hours and 47 minutes.

Now in its ninth year, the Tresco marathon began in 2000 when Pete Hingston, island chef and father of Jade, a nine year old who has CF, set up a marathon on the island to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Since then the marathon has raised over £400,000 and the island is determined to break the half million pound barrier this year. All the money raised will help fund research into finding an effective treatment for Cystic Fibrosis.

The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is the UK’s only national charity dedicated to all aspects of Cystic Fibrosis (CF). It funds research to treat and cure CF and aims to ensure appropriate clinical care and support for people with Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the UK’s most common life-threatening inherited disease. Cystic Fibrosis is caused by a defective gene that clogs the internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system, with thick sticky mucus resulting in chronic infections and inflammation in the lungs and difficulty digesting food.

Each week five babies are born with Cystic Fibrosis and three young people die – 90% from lung disease. Average life expectancy is just 31.

For more information on the Tresco Marathon visit Trescomarathon.org.uk.

For more information about Cystic Fibrosis and the work of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust visit Cftrust.org.uk.