A Leeds University student has raised over £1,000 after completing a series of mini-marathons to help fund her grandmother’s cancer treatment in Ukraine.

Second-year International Development undergraduate, Natasha Mykhalchenko crossed the finishing line of her final 7k run of a total 70km challenge outside the Union on Friday.

Natasha told The Gryphon, ‘After the first run, it was very difficult to walk! As I went along, it got better and better’.

She explained, ‘In Ukraine, you have to fund your own cancer treatment. Access to health care is a universal human right and efforts should be done to raise awareness and address the problem that takes away a chance to life of millions of people around the world’.

The campaign, supported by LUU’s Cancer Awareness Society, has been raising funds through an online donations page and a series of bucket fundraisers.

Natasha is hoping to raise £2,500 to cover almost half of a six-month course of chemotherapy treatment after her grandmother, Elena Semenyak was diagnosed with a malignant kidney tumour this summer. She has also been told that the cancerous cells have spread to her lungs.

Natasha has been posting updates and pictures of each run on her ‘Go Fund Me’ fundraising page.

This weekend, she posted, ‘On behalf of my grandmother, the whole family and myself, I thank everyone who has donated and supported me on this tough but fascinating journey. It really wouldn’t have happened without you. You will always remain in our thoughts and prayers.

This campaign has proven that despite the world’s injustices and horrors, we have not lost kindness, compassion and love towards a fellow human being in need. With people like you, hope for this world will never be lost.’

You can sponsor Natasha here or visit the Facebook page.

Elli Pugh

Image courtesy of Jack Roberts