A Dorchester runner is on a mission to make a difference after losing her mum to cancer.

Tilly Dowley, 31, was inspired to run the Virgin London Marathon after watching her own mum, Bren Stevens, suffer a cancer diagnosis.

Tilly and her family witnessed first-hand the often brutal chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments that she went through before she sadly died five years ago.

Now determined to make a difference to the thousands of others affected by a diagnosis on a daily basis and supporting the work The Brain Tumour Charity do, her months of arduous running training are finally paying off.

Tilly said: “During the dry heaving and ankle bruising, I keep going with the thought of anyone suffering through brain tumours and cancer. I have seen first-hand the devastation that chemo and radiotherapy does, the strength that it takes to carry on day-to-day, the worry of the future.

“I know if my mum and the thousands of people suffering cancer can find the strength to make it through their journey, I can make it through these 26 miles.”

Tilly is a procurement specialist for Dorset-based Ebit Business Solutions. Ebit have nominated The Brain Tumour Charity as their charity partner of the year.

Tilly now faces one of the biggest challenges of her life.

She added: “I applied via ballot to the Virgin London Marathon last year and didn’t get through – though I feigned disappointment I will admit I was slightly relieved to not have to put myself through the paces.

“However, when The Brain Tumour Charity, emailed our office to say they had some spaces for the marathon to run for them, it seemed like fate. And so welcomed the start of my running journey.

“A dedicated gym goer though never into running, I thought this training would be fairly easy for me. It’s been anything but.

“It doesn’t help that without doubt every weekly ‘long’ run I’ve done it never fails to pour it down.

“I’m raising money for The Brain Tumour Charity because I would love to see that number of 1000’s of people affected by brain tumours reduced to just 10’s. All of the donations will fund research in how to combat brain tumours, how to better treat them, and to support those affected by this awful disease.

“Brain tumours are the largest killer of children and adults under 40 – I’m hoping the money I’m raising for them will make difference to that number.”

Geraldine Pipping, The Brain Tumour Charity’s director of fundraising, said: “Tilly is an absolute star star. Her determination taking her through this winter months with the hours of intense training and setting her sights on the London Marathon are an inspiration to so many others.”

Find out more about Tilly’s London Marathon or donate at justgiving.com/fundraising/tilly-dowley