Matthew Cromie is taking on a marathon challenge – three to be exact!
The 27-year-old from Belfast has signed up to run the Belfast and Lanzarote marathons this year and is hoping to run the London marathon in 2018.
Matthew decided to set himself a new challenge by taking on the marathons – which is even more difficult as he’s a novice runner.
Matthew is raising money for Meningitis Now after contracting the disease twice in his life. At the age of three he spent two days in hospital with viral meningitis, but he recovered well. At five-years-old Matthew suffered from a second episode of the disease, but this time it was bacterial meningitis. He was in hospital for seven days and was treated with strong antibiotics.
Unfortunately, due to the illness, Matthew lost his hearing. He said: “Although I struggled at times, I managed to stay in mainstream education and I am now in full time employment”.
Matthew will be running his first full marathon on 1 May and will be cheered on by his partner Lisa-Marie and three-year-old son Eoghan. Instead of being nervous; he’s looking forward to the challenge and raising money for Meningitis Now. He said: “I’m raising money for the fantastic charity Meningitis Now. I want to raise awareness of how serious meningitis is and that it's really important to recognise the symptoms quicker. Meningitis now really helps to make people aware.”
You can help to run meningitis out of Northern Ireland by sponsoring Matthew. Visit his Just Giving page www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Matthew-Cromie1
If you do you’ll be helping to fight meningitis with every stride, and move us one step closer to our vision of a future where no one in the UK dies from meningitis, and everyone affected gets the support they need to rebuild their life.
