Earlier this year, Isabell Brinsley-Pirie lost her father, Graham Prime, who died following a short battle with lung cancer.
As a tribute, Mrs Brinsley-Pirie has been taking part in the Cancer Society of New Zealand’s Marathon in a Month initiative.
She has set herself the goal of running 120km during November while raising funds for the society.
Mr Prime was a teacher at Logan Park High School for many years.
He also owned a farm just north of Dunedin, and was passionate about farming as well as education.
A common sentiment from her father was, ‘‘You did not have to be the best at anything, but you always have to give it a shot,’’ she said.
Her father’s battle with cancer was sudden.
‘‘He was diagnosed with cancer on Friday and on the Monday it was stage four.
‘‘And then two weeks later he passed away.’’
When she arrived from Wellington after her father’s diagnosis, she went into ‘‘project management mode’’.
Because her father had a stroke as well as being diagnosed with cancer, she contacted both the Stroke Foundation of New Zealand and the Cancer Society New Zealand.
Mrs Brinsley-Pirie said the Cancer Society’s cancer navigator Kathy Clark was a great help to her family after the diagnosis.
‘‘She was really, really helpful. My sister and I went to see her.
‘‘She was very empathetic and she came and met dad.’’
Mrs Brinsley-Pirie was very impressed with how many services the Cancer Society offered.
‘‘I had no idea.’’
Although the short time between her father’s diagnosis and his death meant they were not able to utilise all the services on offer, Mrs Brinsley-Pirie said she hoped other families would take advantage of them.
‘‘The fact that they offer all of that, I thought was a little hidden gem that probably a lot of people don’t know.’’
Mrs Brinsley-Pirie thanked friends, family and work colleagues who had already given more than $5200 towards her fundraising efforts.
It had been ‘‘very, very humbling’’ that people had been so generous, she said.
Some health issues had made it harder to complete her running goals, but she had planned to take part in the Queenstown Marathon this weekend.
‘‘Dad was going to come and watch me do the full [marathon].
‘‘But I have had issues with my joints swelling and I think it will be too much on my joints to do the 42km, so I am going to downgrade to the 21km.’’
Visit marathoninamonth.org.nz/isabell-brinsley-pirie to support Isabell Brinsley-Pirie’s Marathon in a Month challenge.
