ETO Show organiser Jonathan Kirk is running the Keswick half marathon on the 5th May in memory of his best friend of 30 years, Alex Polkinghorne, who died from cancer on the 8th December 2012. Alex had suffered from Crohn’s disease from his early twenties which ultimately led to bowel cancer which was diagnosed as terminal in July last year.
“He was my closest friend and we literally grew up together sharing many life experiences and I will miss him greatly,” said Jonathan. “Alex was kind and caring with a sarcastic wit that was second to none. A talented photographer and web designer with his own business, he had his life sorted after marrying his beautiful wife Ariadna – only two months before he passed – and having a son Charlie in 2011. Unfortunately, his cancer was so aggressive that he was only given three months to live after his diagnosis. He held out for four but died at the very early age of 40. At his funeral a group of his best buddies decided we would do something to raise money for the tremendous help that he received in the months before he died. So with most of us in our forties and massively unfit we chose to run one of the hardest half marathons in the UK!”
If you would like to support Jonathan his Just Giving page can be found at www.justgiving.com/Jonathan-Kirk1
