Sunderland dad who lost wife to melanoma completes 105-mile challenge to support others

Dad-of-two Darren Fletcher, 52, from Castletown, lost his wife Gillian Fletcher in 2009 at the age of 40 after a year long battle with metastatic melanoma.

After suffering the loss and seeing his children struggling to cope with the loss of their mother, he decided to raise money to help others.

Darren was originally going to take part in this year's Great North Run for Washington-based charity Melanoma Me.

But after the event’s cancellation, he quickly found a new way to raise funds – cranking it up a notch to take part in the Montane Virtual Lakeland Challenge.

The grueling Lakeland events usually take place as 50 and 100-mile events in the Lake District, but this year organisers held virtual challenges instead in light of the pandemic.

Darren completed close to 20 miles a day for five days, finishing off with a seven-mile run on the last day in Beamish Woods, raising over £850 for Melanoma Me in the process.

He said: “I decided to enter because of the Great North Run cancellation, which I was going to partake in for Melanoma Me to raise some much needed funds. The run itself was difficult as I was at work on 10-hour late shifts meaning I could only run from 6am to 10am each day.

“The reason I chose Melanoma Me was because at the time of Gill’s death there was no support around for me or my children and it was basically head down and get on with life.

"I had to leave my job to look after my children who were really traumatised. I’m over the moon with the support I’ve had from friends and family since doing the run.”

After Gillian's death, Darren was left to support their two young children Raeanne and Tom, who were just 14 and five at the time.

However, Darren was recently introduced to Melanoma Me by one of the charities ambassadors and knew he wanted to help people who were going through the same situation as him.

Melanoma Me was founded by melanoma survivor Kerry Raffery, who has since helped identify 49 undiagnosed melanoma cases with life-saving training.

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