Bristol woman to run London Marathon in memory of brain tumour victim

Julie Middleton will run the London Marathon on 23 April

A woman who lost a friend to a brain tumour is training to run the London Marathon in her memory.

Julie Middleton, 65, from Bristol, was part of a friendship group of women who called themselves 'The Gazelles'. Her best friend Sophie Slingsby died with a glioblastoma in August 2017.

"Sophie was the peacemaker and the map reader of our group. We loved her and we miss her," Ms Middleton said.

She will run the marathon in aid of Brain Tumour Research.

Ms Slingsby's illness was revealed after she had an MRI scan at Southmead Hospital in April 2016, showing a mass on her brain.

"Surgeons operated within 24 hours but she was told it was terminal, and she suffered a long, slow death over a year," said Ms Middleton.

Julie, in grey, lost her friend Sophie (to her right) in 2017

Ms Middleton is also running the marathon to support the son of a second friend, Will Magee.

Mr Magee's tumour was discovered when he hit his head on a night out and had a brain scan in hospital.

Operations to remove Mr Magee's tumour caused him to have epilepsy as a side effect.

"Will's married now and is doing really well.

"He's been told the tumour will eventually kill him, but he's handling it all amazingly," said Ms Middleton.

She will join a team of more than 70 others running for Brain Tumour Research on 23 April 2023.