Father and daughter duo Chloe and Alan Bickers are busy training for their once-in-a-lifetime bid to complete the London Marathon.

East Anglian Daily Times: Chloe Bickers with her father Alan after taking part in the London Half Marathon. Picture: DANIELLE BICKERSChloe Bickers with her father Alan after taking part in the London Half Marathon. Picture: DANIELLE BICKERS (Image: Archant)

And they are hoping their efforts will help boost the funds of two charities which mean so much to them ... Macmillan Cancer Support and the British Heart Foundation.

Chloe, who lives in Norton and works as a hairdresser in Long Melford, lost her mother Sherry five years ago to cancer.

The 48-year-old, who lived in Brandon, battled with multiple tumours for 12 years before she lost her battle with life in 2011, leaving her husband, Chloe and her sister Danielle, who was only 13 at the time.

Chloe said: “As a family we went through such a traumatic and turbulent time with mum having good times and bad times. What got us through as a family was her fantastic energy for life and her fight to be with us for as long as possible.

“Macmillan, and especially the nurses at the Macmillan Unit, at the West Suffolk Hospital, where mum went for chemotherapy were a major part of her fight and I cannot express how much their support and care meant to mum and us. She also had to endure daily radiotherapy for six weeks at Addenbrookes, in Cambridge, which really took it out of mum but her enthusiasm was unwavered.”

The 28-year-old, who also works for “mynewhair” which provides advice and supports a network of independent salons and professionals who provide a wig styling service for people suffering from cancer and medical hair loss, added: “I want to give something back to say thank you to all the nurses that helped mum during her treatment.

“I am doing something which I thought I’d never do as I don’t like planes, or jumping out of them but a small price to pay considering what mum had to go through.

“I would really appreciate any sponsorship, however little, to help others in mum’s and my families situation receive the support that helped us all through her fight.”

Both Chloe and her 57-year-old father, who is a builder, took part in the London Half Marathon last weekend in preparation for the main event on April 22 with Chloe clocking up two hours and her father two hours 20 minutes. He is hoping to raise money for the British Heart Foundation after having a heart valve replacement operation at Papworth Hospital.

“It’s absolutely amazing as I never thought that I would be able to get a place in the marathon and then we both got in first time which was brilliant and I cannot wait. I think it will be quite emotional for us,” said Chloe.

Both are hoping to raise £2,500 for their chosen charities and they can be supported by going to their websites at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/chloe-bickers1 and https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/alan-bickers-SAVMLMBONDS3332018-834722

For information on the best spots to watch the London Marathon go to http://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/best-spots-to-watch-the-2018-virgin-money-london-marathon-on-april-22-1-5411277