Tim refuses to let lung cancer stop him

A grandad with incurable lung cancer completed a half marathon to raise money and awareness of the disease.

Former gas engineer Tim Motley, from Petham, near Canterbury, was diagnosed with mesothelioma last year. It is an incurable cancer of the lining of the lung caused by exposure to asbestos.

Despite his diagnosis, Tim, 72, decided to join his wife Micky and run the Folkestone half marathon for Mesothelioma UK.

Toni Fleming, a Mesothelioma UK nurse based in East Kent Hospitals who helps care for Tim, was there to cheer the couple on. She said: “I am in awe of Tim and his achievement in completing the half marathon and helping raise funds and awareness of this terrible disease. He is truly an inspiration.”

Tim said: “We do walk a lot, which helps keep us fit, but I’ve never been a runner.

“But we attended the London Asbestos Support Awareness Group Mesothelioma Day service at Canterbury Cathedral this year and met a woman who had lost her dad to mesothelioma.

“She was running the half marathon for Mesothelioma UK and my wife, who has done marathons before, thought she would go for it.

“I thought as I had been looked after by the charity I would try and do my best to give something back – and if I didn’t do it now, I never would!”

Tim prepared for the run by using a treadmill at home, before trying a combination of running with walking outside.

He said: “It was quite difficult, to be honest. I was never looking to break a record, I just wanted to finish and that’s what I did.

“We had so much support, which was absolutely incredible, and that spurred me on.

“The last mile was all uphill, which for runners probably wasn’t a problem but I found it really tough.

“I do suffer with shortness of breath anyway so I just couldn’t maintain a steady pace and had to walk to catch my breath.”

Tim, who has a son and one granddaughter, was diagnosed after going to his GP with pain in the left side of his chest. Initially, it was thought to be inflammation but when it got worse he was referred for an x-ray which revealed fluid on his lung.

It was drained but returned, and a biopsy revealed the cancer. Tim then had surgery to remove the fluid and surgeons also used sterile talc mixed with saline to prevent it happening again.

He said: “I had never heard of mesothelioma, but we worked out I was probably exposed to asbestos 50 years ago.

“Health and safety was quite relaxed in the 1970s, there wasn’t much training, and people did things they would never do now.

“But once they knew what it was and I had the talc procedure, it has all been pretty good. The cancer is still there, they can’t get rid of it, but I have scans every three months and for the moment it is stable.

“I do feel proud that I was able to finish the half marathon and raise almost £3,000 for Mesothelioma UK - I hope it can dispel some of the negativity around the diagnosis and show you can still do the things you want to do.”

Tim’s efforts also inspired others, with neighbours in Petham holding a fundraising event in the village hall. Proceeds were split between the British Heart Foundation and Mesothelioma UK, with £500 for each. Many had previously never heard of the disease.