A Devastating Diagnosis
In August 2025, Valerie’s dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer while visiting her and her partner in Australia to meet his grandson for the very first time.
He hadn’t been feeling quite right - not critically unwell, but enough to raise concern. While in Australia, he paid for a consultation at an emergency department. He was scanned straight away.
That’s when they found the tumour in his pancreas, and metastases in his lungs, liver and stomach.
Just 12 weeks later, he died at home, with Valerie and her mum by his side.
“We moved back to Scotland and got to spend seven weeks with him, but his decline during this time was rapid. It was the hardest time of all our lives.”
Valerie describes her dad as “a legend - the funniest, most caring man.”
The shock of going from one of the happiest times of her life to unimaginable heartbreak is something she still carries.
“When my parents came to Australia to meet my son for the first time, I was so excited. It was the happiest time of my life - apart from when he was born. For it all to just come crashing down and to go through heartbreak so quickly after… it was the hardest thing ever.”
She misses him every day.
“I just know he’d have been the best papa to my baby.”
Training Begins
When Valerie signed up to take on Edinburgh, she wouldn’t have described herself as a runner.
In fact, before this year she’d only done “a couple of runs since lockdown.” But since mid-January, she’s been heading out three or four times a week - usually late at night, once her 10-month-old son is finally asleep.
“It’s a real struggle to drag myself out in the cold and dark,” she said. “But honestly, I’m starting to enjoy it now.”
What began as a challenge has become something more. Those night runs are often the only time Valerie and her partner get to themselves.
“It’s time for myself, or with my partner when we get out together - which is really rare at the moment. It’s definitely helping our mental health through a pretty hard time.”
Turning Grief into Purpose
Taking on this challenge and fundraising for Pancreatic Cancer UK is Valerie’s way of doing something positive in the face of loss.
“Anything I can do to help so that other families might have a wee bit longer with someone with this horrible disease, I will try to do.”
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer, often diagnosed late and progressing quickly - something Valerie’s family experienced first-hand. By fundraising, she hopes to play even a small part in improving research, awareness and outcomes for others.
Looking Ahead to the Finish Line
So what’s she most looking forward to on race day?
“The finish line!!”
For Valerie, it’s about proving to herself that she can do something she’s never done before - and doing it in honour of her dad.
“I think for me it’s just being able to do something I’ve never done before and making my dad proud.”
If there’s one message she hopes people take from her story, it’s this:
“Life really is so short sometimes and you honestly don’t know what’s going to happen. It sounds cliché, but it’s true.”
If you’d like to support Valerie and her fundraising for Pancreatic Cancer UK, you can donate via her JustGiving page and help her make every mile count.