A DAD-of-two who lost his father to a brain tumour on his birthday is taking on a marathon challenge to say thank you to St Rocco’s Hospice. 

Dave Marsden from Penketh is going to celebrate his dad’s positive attitude to life by completing the New York Marathon and hopefully raising thousands of pounds for charity.

His father, Edward, died just six months after being diagnosed and David said St Rocco’s not only cared for his dad but for his whole family at the difficult time.

“Six years ago my father passed away on my birthday. The hospice looked after him for about a month and they were just brilliant,” he said.

“He started to go downhill in September when he was on holiday with my mum. He got headaches and would forget where he was and where he was driving to.

“I remember going to see him on the Thursday before he died. And I just had that feeling.

“He was only 65 years old, he was such a nice character. He tried to put a positive outlook on things and I try to do the same.

“It was a massive shock for all of us but now I always look for a positive, like he did.”

The 44-year-old former Penketh High student works for motoring forum PistonHeads and is dad to 12-year-old Sam and nine-year-old Harry.

He is paying for the trip to New York himself and has set himself the ambitious fundraising target of £2,500, all of which will go to St Rocco’s.

Dave said: “The staff were so caring, they are just wonderful. They couldn’t do enough to help my mum when she wanted to stay overnight with him in the hospice over Christmas.

“My mum is really proud that I’ve found a way to give back and I’m enjoying the challenge.

“I got a donation towards my fundraising from a patient who is in St Rocco’s now. That was emotional for me, I was so pleased.”

Sponsor Dave by visiting justgiving.com/fundraising/D-Marsden26.