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Man fundraises for stranger's dream trip

Jasmine Ketibuah-FoleyWest of England
News imageHandout Giles and Katy stood side by side making peace signs with their hands and smiling at the camera. They are stood outside in a pub car park in running gear.Handout
Giles Richards ran 10km every day to raise money for Kayleigh Ewan's dream trip to Australia

A man has run almost 200 miles (321km) to pay for a stranger who has incurable cancer to go on a dream trip.

Giles Richards, from Yeovil in Somerset, completed 192 miles (310km) for Kayleigh Ewan to travel to Australia.

Earlier this year, the 36-year-old was diagnosed with metastatic cancer, which spread to her spine and liver. Doctors have told her the disease is incurable. Richards heard about Ewan through his partner and decided he wanted to help.

Ewan said she was really grateful to Richards, adding: "There's lots of places on my bucket list, but Australia is something I'd need time and money to plan and time is something I might not have."

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News imageHandout Kayleigh is wearing a blue swimsuit and sat by some rocks on a coastline with a small black and brown dog beside her. She has blonde hair and is smiling at the camera.Handout
Ewan said she was surprised by the offer as they did not know each other

Ewan was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. Doctors were able to treat the condition and she spent six years in remission.

But this year, doctors discovered she had developed metastatic cancer which had spread.

She is now dedicated to making a video a day and sharing it on social media until she passes away.

"It gives you a purpose every day because you have to get up and get dressed to do the video," she said.

"I feel like you don't really have a choice when you're in this situation and you have to just go. You obviously get good and bad days."

News imageHandout Giles running on a country path through fields with trees and yellowed grass. He is joined by two small ponies on his left. He is wearing a branded cancer charity t-shirt and has his back to the camera.Handout
Richards said

Richards, who completed 10km-a-day (6.2 miles) for more than a month, said he has "never been a runner" but wanted to give it a go for her, and has since raised more than £4,600.

Ewan joined him for the last stint in Yeovil and said she cannot wait to see koala bears in real life.

"I'm not even a runner but I thought I'd give it a go for her and I know a lot of people and luckily people have been so generous," he said.

"The distance wasn't so bad, it's just the accumulation of it every day especially in this heat.

"I'm fairly fit anyway so I've only had a little pain in my calf muscles and Achilles, but compared to what other people are going through it's no problem," he added.

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