In a week’s time – on Saturday, 26th July – Jack Hewitt will resume his massive year-long challenge to raise money for the ME Association and ME/CFS Australia.
We know him affectionately as our ‘Eight for a Mate!’ marathon man, a slogan that’s now on his specially-designed running vest.
What he is doing, put simply, is something quite amazing!
Jack, a Brit who has been living in Oz since the beginning of last year, is running eight marathons, all in the space of one year – one in every state and territory of the vast continent. He is also raising money to boost medical research into the illness which has ruined the life of his best friend, Freddie, back home in England.
When Jack visited England in June last year, he was utterly shocked by the condition in which he found Freddie. His friend has very severe ME and requires round-the-clock nursing care at his parents’ home in Buckinghamshire.
Jack vowed at the time to make a noise about ME/CFS to raise awareness of the condition while doing something very special to support vitally-needed research.
That something, after discussions with both charities, became his Eight for A Mate! Marathons for the MEA. ME/CFS Australia chose the slogan ‘500for500', which is related to the number of people estimated to have ME/CFS in their country.
Photos show Jack with his finisher's medals in Tasmania, with girlfriend Tate at the Adelaide Marathon in South Australia, the Brisbane Marathon in Queensland and his last event at the Great Ocean Road run in Victoria on 18th May. There's also a route map of his next challenge – next weekend's marathon in the desert heart of Australia at Uluru (Ayers Rock).
He’s already completed four marathons in Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland and Victoria.
Next up on Saturday, 26th July, is the Australian Outback Marathon at Uluru, otherwise known as Ayers Rock – a mid-winter challenge in the very, desert heart of the country.
Then follow marathons in New South Wales on 31st August, Western Australia on 12th October before finishing his mammoth series in Canberra, the federal capital, on 15th November.
As we’ve already done with the first four events, we shall be carrying reports and pictures from the remaining four, hopefully in almost real time – on the day they happen. You will be able to find them on our Facebook page.
Best of luck, Jack. We’ll be rooting for you and thank you for everything!
If you would like to donate to Jack’s fundraiser for the MEA, please click HERE
If you’d rather donate to our Australian friends, please click HERE
Tony Britton
Senior Fundraising Volunteer, The ME Association
fundraising@meassociation.org.uk
