A Perth former footballer is halfway through a mammoth challenge inspired by his lifelong neighbour’s battle with bowel cancer.
Fraser Morrison is running 30 half-marathons in 30 days to raise money for Craigie mum Karen High.
The pair have known one another since Fraser, 25, was a baby.
Fraser and Karen’s boys, Jack and Sam, have been pals since childhood.
And the two households are so close that Fraser grew up calling his neighbour Auntie Karen.
Karen’s cancer diagnosis in 2017 was a blow for her own family, and for her close-knit community.
At stage four, the cancer was already advanced.
She was initially told she had a year to live, and that the only option was palliative chemotherapy.
But Karen, who was only 51, is made from sterner stuff.
She has since been through countless chemotherapies, major operations and hospital stays.
And Fraser has been so impressed by her courage he is now doing his bit to prolong his Auntie Karen’s life for as long as he possibly can.
Funds raised from his 30/30 challenge will help Karen’s family pay for treatment that is not available on the NHS.
“The way Karen has faced up to this has been really inspirational,” said Fraser.
“She could have said ‘Oh well that’s me then’ after she was told there was no more treatment on the NHS. But she has kept on persevering
“There’s no money I can raise that will take away her cancer,” he added.
“But I can make sure she has the best opportunity to be around her family for as long as she can.”
From Perth pitches to Manchester pavements
Fraser has always been a fitness fanatic.
The former Craigie Primary and Perth High School pupil played for Kinnoull and Scone Thistle at junior level, and enjoyed a spell with Forfar Athletic’s under-21 side.
But when he suffered his fourth torn hamstring a couple of years ago, he took it as a sign that football wasn’t for him.
Fraser took up running to keep fit and quickly progressed from 1k runs to his first half-marathon.
He moved to Manchester to take up a new job in December.
So he has been getting up at 4.30am to pound the streets of his new city before work.
He is coming back to Perth to complete the challenge though.
Friends and family members, including Karen’s boys and husband Alan, have said they will try to join him on his 13-mile runs.
And Karen herself is hoping to be with him when he finishes his last half-marathon in their street at the end of the month.
‘You can’t put a price on time’
Karen has now exhausted all the treatments available to her on the NHS.
Her friends and family have already raised thousands of pounds to help pay for private treatment.
And she is grateful that Fraser is supporting her on her own punishing journey.
She writes on his JustGiving page: “This is no mean feat. And it will take courage, resolve, dedication and determination to go the distance, enduring significant mental challenge and – I’m sure – some pain along the way. In many ways it replicates my marathon journey living with cancer.
“I remain indebted to everyone who has and is currently fundraising to give me the best options for more treatment, and which has undoubtedly given me valuable extra time.
“If it’s one thing I have come to realise through this journey, you can’t put a price on time.”
Supporters can follow Fraser’s progress on Instagram.
His JustGiving page is here.
Conversation