A BROMSGROVE teacher has recently completed one of the world’s most historic and challenging marathons as she continues her breathtaking fundraising efforts.
South Bromsgrove High School’s head of PE, Gill Punt BEM, has shared news of her success in the historic Athens Marathon in Greece which saw her raise over £16,000 for Cancer Research UK.
The sum raised has pushed the Guinness World Record running mother of three to a truly incredible sum of £1.94 million donated to different cancer charities over the last 26 years.
Gill, a seasoned marathon runner, took on the historic route from Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, Greece. Her arrival in the millenias old stadium marked her 26th completed marathon.
The route is considered one of the most difficult major marathons and is based on the legendary story of Pheidippides, the messenger who ran from the Battle of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory.
Gill said: “It was desperately hot, hilly, hard but incredible… and bizarrely very fast.”
At the finish line, Gill was interviewed about her story which was beamed live around the historic Olympic Stadium.
The teacher’s fundraising efforts began in memory of her father who died of bile duct cancer in 1999. Her first marathon was completed that same year in London.
She completed the same marathon again in 2016 dressed as a polar bear, earning herself a Guinness World Record for fastest marathon ran in an animal costume.
In 2019 Gill received the British Empire Medal for her fundraising feats, and reached the fundraising total of £1 million in 2022.
She added: “One in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime. The number of cases is rising, so it has never been more urgent to beat cancer.
“I will continue my voluntary fundraising endeavours until we reach the ultimate finish line… a world without cancer. Please help me do that.”
Visit https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/gills-giving-page-1424 to donate to Gill’s latest fundraiser.
