Jemima Tennekoon is raising funds and awareness for the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research’s ‘Go the Distance’ challenge as she prepares to run the Christchurch half marathon on April 12.
To allow it to fund a CAR T-cell therapy trial that would mean Kiwis wouldn’t need to travel overseas for blood cancer treatment, the institute’s asking people to fundraise by setting a distance goal next month.
Tennekoon says the cause hits home ‘‘because I know a lot of people who have been impacted by leukemia and lymphoma and those blood cancers’’.
The 28-year-old — whose running was interrupted last year by a severe iron deficiency anaemia which turned into neuropathy — says she learned about the fundraiser through her mum, Lisa, who’s active in the local Friends of the Malaghan Institute group.
‘‘I’m centring my training and racing in April to try and help raise funds and awareness for the Malaghan — it’s just cool to be able to tie it into something that makes a difference and hopefully has a positive impact as well.’’
Tennekoon’s hoping to raise at least $300 through a platform on the Malaghan’s website, donate. malaghan.org.nz/event/go-the-distance/
And she’s keen to even better the snappy 1 hour 19 minutes she set last May to win the Southern Lakes women’s half marathon from Cardrona to Wānaka.
