Lancaster village dad invites public to join 630 mile coastal walk in memory of son who died aged 30
A Silverdale dad is inviting people across the North West to join an extraordinary 630-mile walking challenge along the South West Coast Path in memory of his son, who died suddenly from a previously undiagnosed heart condition.
Ian Fisher, from Silverdale in Lancashire, a landscape architect and Retired Senior Lecturer at the Manchester School of Architecture, is organising the walk after losing his son Marcus, aged 30, to Sudden Arrhythmogenic Death Syndrome (SADS) in 2021.
Named Miles for Marcus, the challenge will honour Marcus’s life while raising awareness of hidden cardiac conditions in young people and vital funds for the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).
Starting on July 8 and finishing on August 29, the walk will cover the entire South West Coast Path through Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Dorset.
It will be completed in 52 stages over 52 days, with each stage led by a different volunteer and joined by friends, family and members of the public.
Each stage will cover around 10 miles, taking walkers across rugged coastal terrain, including cliffs, and steep, rocky paths.
Ian is encouraging people to join for just one stage or several, helping to turn the challenge into a shared act of remembrance and solidarity.
Ian says: “Marcus died suddenly while taking part in the Royal Parks Half Marathon in October 2021, and our lives were changed forever. He loved being outdoors and always found happiness in the mountains and oceans. Wherever he went, he brought people together, and that’s exactly what we hope Miles for Marcus will do too.”
Originally from Manchester, where he attended Cheadle Hulme School, Marcus later lived and worked in London but maintained strong connections with friends and family in the North West.
A keen runner, surfer and adventurer, he embraced life fully, something his family hopes the walk will reflect.
To symbolise that spirit, a small wooden surfboard will be carried along the route and passed from group to group, representing connection, friendship and the collective purpose behind the challenge.
Charlie Edwards, a close friend of Marcus since their teenage years, has helped Ian organise the event. He said: “Marcus was full of warmth, curiosity and energy. Whether he was surfing, skiing or
heading out for a run, he lived life at full pace and brought people along with him.
“This walk feels like a fitting way to honour who he was, while also helping to protect other young people through better awareness and screening. We would love more people to walk with us, enjoy the coastline and take a moment to reflect.”
Ian and Charlie are aiming to raise £75,000 for CRY in the first fundraising event they have organised in Marcus’s memory.
CRY works to prevent sudden cardiac deaths in young people through screening programmes, awareness and family support.
“We’re really hoping people will join us for as much or as little of the walk as they can,” Ian added.
“It would mean more than we can put into words, not just to us, but to the families CRY supports every day.”
Organisers hope Miles for Marcus will celebrate Marcus’s life, bring communities together and help save lives through greater awareness of cardiac risk in young people.
Dr Steven Cox, Chief Executive of Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) said: “Ian, alongside his friends and family, has set himself a truly moving and inspiring challenge in memory of Marcus, and
we wish them every success. Challenges like this, and the generosity behind them, make a profound difference to our work. Thanks to the incredible dedication and fundraising efforts of families like
Ian’s, CRY is able to provide free cardiac screening to more than 30,000 young people across the UK every year - helping protect young lives through greater awareness, research and early detection.”
For more information about Miles for Marcus or to make a donation, visit https://milesformarcus.com/