Danielle’s six halves in six weeks in Toby’s memory

In Toby’s memory

“Toby was 23 when he died, definitely a life stolen too early. He was an absolute ray of sunshine. He loved spending time with family, including his sister, Robyn, and younger brother, Gabriel. Christmas was always a special time for Toby, he loved everything about it. On Christmas day, the Brann’s would spend the day together and then head to our house in the evening for our annual party, where we would drink too much and dance the night away. Myself and Toby had a tradition where we would rap ‘Lose Yourself’ by Eminem, and he was always so much better than me. I will be running with the hashtag #loseyourselfinthemoment as it is also a great motivator for myself (and I will need to listen to it on repeat to get me up the hill at the end of the Plymouth half!).

“Ultimately though, Toby was loved by everyone he met. He was in the Royal Navy, following in the footsteps of his dad, he loved football and rugby, and he loved doing an Elvis impression.”

Toby’s Dad and Danni’s uncle Rob Brann, who will be joining her on her final run, said: “Toby was a caring, loving, family minded son, brother, cousin, nephew and grandson, and friend.

“When he got the news of his terminal illness (Stage 4 cancer), he faced it head on, determined to make the most of the time he had left and equally determined to protect the people close to him.

“He did his ‘bucket list tour’ – watching Liverpool at Anfield, including England rugby at Twickenham, and visiting Harry Potter World. An ardent Argyle supporter, proudly singing the Janner anthem, he followed them until the end, with St Luke’s helping him do so.

“St Luke’s support was invaluable in helping Toby and our family cope with the reality of his terminal illness, they helped facilitate those impossible discussions that the family couldn’t bear to have. Their support enabled Toby to remain at home, his ultimate dying wish. They managed his pain relief and were a tower of strength and comfort. This allowed precious and treasured time to come to terms with the inevitable, to cherish time together and to have special moments and build memories that will last forever.”

Seeing the support Toby and the family received, encouraged Danni to want to play her part in honouring his memory while raising funds so that others like Toby can receive the same care and support.

She said: “I was able to see firsthand how much St Luke’s supported my family. When I visited the hospice myself, I saw how much brightness the staff brought, and I have only heard positive things about the care they provide. I had not realised how much of a huge patch St Luke’s covers, and it is commendable the work that the staff do.”