The wife of a soldier who died from leukaemia will take on the Great North Run later this month to make him proud.
Staff Sergeant Stuart Rasbeary, from Richmond, died last year aged 35.
The previous year he went to hospital suffering from a severe nosebleed and a chronic sore throat.
This story continues after the adverts:
He was told he had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and after eight months of treatment doctors said there was nothing more they could do.
The solider signed up when he was 20 and served during tours of Afghanistan, Norway and Kenya.
A year before he died, Stuart was honoured at Buckingham Palace for his work as a families liaison officer helping a bereaved family.
Next weekend his wife Jenny will take on the Great North Run in his memory and to raise money for Bloodwise, a charity which aims to beat blood cancer.
Jenny said that throughout his treatment, her husband’s mantras were “it is what it is” and “we can only do what we are told by the doctors”.
She added: “He stuck to everything by the letter, but after just 8 months of treatment, we were told there was nothing more the doctors could do.
“We had, for so long, been isolated down in Southampton where he was based.
“We always thought he would get back to work, but now with no hope and unsure of how long we had, we rushed back home to Yorkshire to enjoy the time we had left.”
Jenny said that in their last eight weeks together the couple Stuart was determined to make the most of what time he had left.
“We managed to see all the places we had grown up together and cherished as young teenage sweethearts.
“The weather was kind and we got to be in the great Yorkshire Dales whenever he was well enough. But of course the doctors were right and on May 22 2017 my amazing husband passed away.
“Right up until the end he cared more about how upsetting it was for us, his family and friends, rather than what was to become of him.”
Jenny said she hoped to complete the Great North Run to make him proud and to help prevent others from having to go through what Stuart did.
Jenny has been training hard for the race and has managed to lost four stone in weight in the run up to the event.
To sponsor Jenny click here.
