Great Glen: Men’s ultramarathon in memory of ‘beautiful’ niece

A man is to run an ultramarathon to raise money in memory of his niece who died from a brain tumour.

Michael Parr, said he was left heartbroken by the death of 12-year-old Grace Kelly, from Great Glen in Leicestershire.

A routine trip to the opticians led to the discovery of the aggressive tumor in August 2021 and she died within a year.

Mr Parr, 32, will run 62 miles (100km) on May 25 to support the charity Brain Tumor Research.

“I’m doing this in memory of Grace,” he said. “She was my first granddaughter and I thought of her as my own child.

“When he died, it broke my heart and still does.”

Mr Parr, who is also from Great Glen, added: “She was such a beautiful and lovely girl.

“He was so caring and kind and always had a positive attitude.

“I miss her every day. I really want to help find a cure for other people dealing with this devastating disease.”

He has so far raised more than £900 in pledged sponsorships for his London to Brighton race.

Ashley McWilliams, the charity’s community development manager, said: “Grace’s story is sadly not unique. Brain tumors kill more children than leukemia and more women under 35 than breast cancer.

“We are truly grateful to Michael for participating in this ultramarathon.”