A nurse has smashed her £10,000 fundraising target in less than six months.
Elisabeth Devey, from Rishton, set herself a series of challenges in aid of the Brain Cancer Charity after being motivated by her best friend Natalie Wilson who was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
The mum-of-two recently took part in a full marathon at Disney World in Florida and has now surpassed her £10,000 goal.
Elisabeth, who works as a post-natal nurse at Burnley Hospital, said she was ‘shocked and humbled’ and never anticipated to reach the milestone.
She must now fulfil a promise of shaving off her hair.
She said: “It’s not really sunk in yet. The £10,000 figure was one I just plucked out of somewhere and I thought it was unobtainable.
“Before I know it, it has been reached. I’m shocked and humbled.
“It started to hit me when I got to £9,000 and I realised I was actually going to do it.
“I did cry when that last donation went in to take it right to the £10,000 mark.”
Elisabeth, 33, completed the marathon in just over six hours.
She said: “I ran the majority of it but not too fast. I was quite emotional because of the reasons I was doing it and that helped get me round.
“It was absolutely amazing. While I was out there I reached the £10,000 target so it was fantastic timing to get there while I was doing that.”
Elisabeth has been supported in her fundraising efforts with a £200 donation from Norden High School and a non-uniform day at St Peter and St Paul’s primary school, where pupils dressed up as their favourite Disney characters.
In recent months she has also completed the Manchester 10k and a 15,000ft skydive.
Her head shaving will now take place at Rishton Cricket Club on Friday, March 13.
She said: “It’s not something I’m looking forward to if I’m being honest, but at the end of the day it’s only hair and people lose their hair all the time for a lot more serious reasons than some woman shaving it off.
“I’m all ready and prepared for it now.”
