A student from the University of Sheffield has raised over £1800 in just a week for the Sheffield Half-Marathon after his father died from cancer.
Sagar Sabu, 19, who lives in Crookes is due to run the marathon later this month along with 17 other friends to raise money for Cancer Research.
He said: “Even towards the end I didn’t believe my dad had it, because I always thought of him as almost invincible.”
His father, Sabu Thomas passed away in November last year, aged 58, after being diagnosed with lung cancer the previous January.
He said: “I remember when my parents went to the doctor and they came back, my dad came back first, because my mum was still speaking to the doctor and my dad just came back and started crying.”
Prior to his diagnosis, Sagar’s Father began to experience pain in his right arm however he did not express major concerns until his wife, Jessy urged him to go to the doctor.
Doctors discovered an abnormality on the right side of his lungs, and formally diagnosed him following a CT scan.
His friend since secondary school, Henry Marshall, who is running the marathon on March 26 alongside him said: “He’s so head-strong so focused and set on running this marathon he’s incredible.
The 19-year-old said: “I remember when Sagar told me his dad had passed, there was nothing I could say so I thought why we don’t just do something.”
Sagar described that despite his dad’s illness, his diagnosis made him want to achieve the things he had always wanted, and meant they spent more time together as a family.
He said: “Last year I didn’t really go back home a lot, but since the diagnosis I go home around every week just so I can spend time with him.”
Over the past week more than 100 people have supported his JustGiving page, which they set up in the pub.
Henry said: “Instantly everyone was on board, there have been so many people, so many donations. There’s nothing you can say, it’s a gap you can’t fill, but it feels like we are doing something.”
Both Henry and Sagar have been completing their training across the city, particularly around Crookes and Ecclesall Road with some members of the groups already tackling the full 13 miles.
Those wishing to donate, can do so via Sagar’s JustGiving page.