LAUNCESTON’S Chris Henshaw ran the Great North Run in Newcastle on September 9, to raise money for Children With Cancer UK, writes David Sillifant.

The 57-year-old, who is a shift manager at Dairy Crest, Davidstow, lost two of his closest friends to cancer, including his best friend and best man Nigel Goldsworthy, as well as three members of St Mary’s Church in Callington, for whom he was the choir master.

Knowing that he had to do something, Chris decided to start donating platelets every month, to help people suffering from leukaemia or various forms of cancer.

However, after two months he was informed that he had an irregular heartbeat and was forced to give it up.

Determined to find another way and with nothing to lose, an overweight and unfit Chris decided to join the Phoenix Leisure Centre gym in October 2015, where he met instructor Gemma Bennett.

Since then he has not looked back and has shed 20kg to now weigh just over 14 stone and recently ran the largest half-marathon in the world from Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields.

Chris said: “Two of my friends, Paul Stirup and Nigel Goldsworthy, have died from cancer in the last few years and it’s hurt me. Nigel in particular was my best friend. We met at Sunday school at the age of five and were best friends for 50 years. Another friend also suffered from dementia and took his own life, while three ladies at St Mary’s church in Callington died of cancer in a matter of weeks.

“Three years ago I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and although it’s not great, it’s not something which is going to kill me so I was determined to do something about it.

“I started by doing the platelets, with each donation supporting 20 children and ten adults. But when I found out about the irregular heartbeat it upset me for a while and I was back at square one. I was weighing 110.5kg and apart from the odd walk I didn’t do any exercise.

“I saw an offer at the leisure centre and I thought why not give it a go? There, I met Gemma Bennett and I’ve been working with her ever since.

“She asked me ‘what would you like to do?’ and I said I’d like to run the Great North Run as my wife is from there, one of my daughters was born there and I worked up there. I asked her whether it’d be possible and she said, ‘yes, as long as you follow my plans’.

“I then started doing some research on the Internet about what charity I would like to help and there were too many to choose from. My pals died of pancreatic cancer, bowel cancer and liver cancer, my father died of bone and prostate cancer and I have MS.

“However, when I came across Children With Cancer UK, I cried reading the stories of babies and young children having chemo and radiation treatment, while the family were split up while the baby was at a specialist hospital many miles from home for long periods. I knew that all my friends would approve.”

Being so unfit caused plenty of initial challenges for Chris. After his first few initial sessions he admitted to falling straight to sleep after getting home, but is now training regularly around his job at Dairy Crest.

Chris said: “Gemma told me that I needed to lose 20kg before I could even start running, so it took me from October 2015 to September last year to be able to go for a run. One of my grandchildren goes to Lifton Primary School and I was walking to pick him up when I realised I was late. So that was when I decided to try running again and I felt fine and I’ve not really looked back.

“Everyone’s said you look better but what made it hit home for me was when someone said you seem so much happier in yourself and they’re right. Losing all this weight has changed my life.”

Chris previously completed four half marathons in about two hours and 30 minutes but his aim this time around was to finish the Great North Run in ten minutes less than that, although he just failed to do so.

Speaking about the run, Chris said: “It was absolutely amazing and I was very pleased with my time of two hours, 23 minutes and 50 seconds. On top of that the weather was absolutely great and the crowds when we went around were just incredible. There’s about 100,000 people there and the support you receive is something else.

“The race itself started at 10.40am, but because of the sheer amount of people at the start line, I didn’t actually pass it until 11.10am. I was talking to someone while I was waiting and we talked about what sort of time we were hoping to achieve and they were both similar, so we decided to run together. I had to do a lot of weaving through people at the beginning but if I’m being honest I was absolutely whacked by the end of the race and once I’d finished I was struggling to walk.

“I’m going to see a dietist this week and sort out some insoles for my feet as they’re flat, which isn’t ideal for running. However, the race has given me even more motivation and I’m definitely going to do it again next year as well as the Liverpool Half Marathon and the Padstow to Rock Swim.

“I’d like to thank everyone for their donations and support and to the Bell Inn. We’ve reached the £1,000 target but I’m leaving my Virgin money fundraising page open until the end of the month.”

Although the running was important, Chris wanted to raise £1,000 for the charity and managed to do so.

He has received support from his friends, family, work colleagues at both his former workplace at Kensey Foods and his present one at Dairy Crest and the Bell Inn in Launceston continues.

Chris said: “Everyone has been amazing in helping me. I’ve got donation boxes at Kensey and Dairy Crest which have both raised about £60 while the Bell have been superb.

“I spend a fair bit of time in there and they’ve helped me with fundraising events such as my leaving do from Kensey Foods, picture quizzes and a half yard of ale contest, which raised over £150. They’ve been so good to me.”

To donate to Chris’ page, visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ChristopherHenshaw