Cornwall runner takes on three marathons in four weeks for Brain Tumour Support

6 April 2025 | Fundraising, News, Supporters

Darren Hardwick, from Looe in Cornwall, is taking on a remarkable challenge and aiming to raise £3,000 to support brain tumour patients and their families.

Darren is planning to run three marathons – London, Copenhagen and Helsinki – in three countries, in the space of four weeks – he is riding to all of them on his motorbike.

The 58 year old, who works as a Building Control Surveyor for Cornwall Council, only started running in 2019, as he explained:

‘I had never run in my life until I did the Couch to 5k programme with the Looe Pioneers and got the bug. I quickly became good friends with Shaun, another club member, and ran together most weekends with him – and my dog, Roy, often came too! Unfortunately, Shaun had a brain tumour as a child and, with its effect on his balance and the residual impact of radiotherapy over the years, he has had to stop running. But I really took inspiration from him, and now I want to raise funds to help the charity which has given him such great support.’

This is the second epic fundraising challenge that Darren has set for himself. In 2023 he rode his motorcycle to the Arctic Circle to run the Midnight Sun Marathon, raising money for Macmillan.

Last month in the course of training and preparing for this latest remarkable challenge Darren also took on his local run, the Looe Hillish and Hellish 10miler, completing the course twice on successive days. The first time was ‘for fun’ and then on the official race day he made it even harder for himself by running dressed as a dinosaur!

He compared it to being in ‘a personal sauna with no visibility’, but he made it and raised awareness and funds for his target along the way.

Now it’s just three weeks away from the first of Darren’s three marathons. He’ll be running in London on April 27, followed by Copenhagen on May 11 and then the Helsinki City Marathon on May 17.

Sarah Nelmes, Brain Tumour Support Fundraising Co-ordinator, said ‘Darren’s ambition has inspired us all. To be running three marathons so close together is tough enough, but to also be biking across countries to get to them is incredible. We know how much achieving this will mean to him in support of his friend and we’ll be cheering him all the way on his adventure!’

Darren can be supported in his incredible challenge through his fundraising page here.

Every day in the UK 45 people face the terrifying news that they have a brain tumour. If you’re inspired to take on your own challenge and fundraise to help us support more patients and families after this life-changing diagnosis, find out more here or contact our fundraising team.