'It wasn't about me'- Chorley son runs length of Britain for mum left wheelchair-bound by MS
“If I could take this illness away from her, I would. I can't do that. But I could run."
A 25-year-old man from Chorley has raised over £60,000 and counting after running the length of Britain in honour of his mum, who lives with advanced Multiple Sclerosis.
Benji Wilkins has completed 42 marathons in 42 consecutive days- all to show his mum, Hannah, that she is not facing the disease alone.
Earlier this month, Benji crossed the finish line at Land's End after covering more than 1,100 miles from John O'Groats, becoming one of only a handful of people to complete the extraordinary endurance feat.
He took on the challenge after watching his mum gradually lose her independence following years of worsening Multiple Sclerosis symptoms and a delayed diagnosis.
Today Hannah relies on a wheelchair full-time, lives with constant pain and fatigue, and spends much of her life confined to the downstairs of her home.
For Benji, every mile was for her. "Crossing that finish line wasn't about me," he said. "It was about proving to my mum that she isn't fighting this disease on her own. Watching someone you love slowly lose their independence is heartbreaking. If I could take this illness away from her, I would. I can't do that. But I could run."
Over 42 gruelling days, Benji battled injuries, exhaustion and Britain's unpredictable weather including intense heatwaves as he ran the equivalent of a marathon every day from the northernmost point of mainland Britain to its most southerly tip.
Thousands of people followed his journey online, with supporters joining him for sections of the route and cheering him on across the country.
Hannah was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2019 after more than a decade of worsening symptoms and repeated hospital visits.
By the time she finally received a diagnosis, she had already lost much of her mobility.
She now lives with chronic pain, muscle weakness, stiffness and extreme fatigue, while specialist equipment, mobility aids and home adaptations continue to place increasing financial pressure on the family.
Benji, who runs a business selling magic tricks, launched Marathons for Mum to raise money for his mum's future care while shining a light on the devastating reality faced by families living with progressive neurological conditions.
He said: "People have called what I've done inspirational, but my mum is the inspirational one. She wakes up every day knowing she's going to struggle, yet she still puts everyone else first.
"Compared to that, running was the easy part."
Although the challenge is over, Benji hopes its impact will continue by raising awareness of Multiple Sclerosis and helping fund treatment, mobility equipment and home adaptations that could dramatically improve Hannah's quality of life.
To support Marathons for Mum, visit www.marathonsformum.com or follow @benjiwilkins on social media.