Friends to run Silverstone half marathon in honour of Nottingham student Zac Forskitt

Zac Forskitt pictured with his dad, Jason.

More than 20 people will run a half-marathon in honour of a Nottingham student who lost a battle against two forms of cancer last year.

Zac Forskitt, 20, died in March 2016, after being diagnosed with a germ cell tumour in his chest as well as an aggressive form of leukaemia.

The former Nottingham Trent University student was believed to be one of only two people in the world fighting both conditions at the same time.

Zac was part of the university’s Trent Cricket society and around 25 runners will take part in the Adidas Silverstone Half Marathon, in March, running 13 miles around the iconic motor racing track.

They hope to raise £2,000 for Back Zac His Legacy, a fund set up by his family to help people facing similar conditions.

The legacy last week sent gift cards to the Teenage Cancer Trust Unit at Nottingham City Hospital, where Zac was treated, which will go towards providing more to allow long-term hospital patients to shop online.

It is hoped more money will be used to buy holiday homes on the south coast so young adults, who have fought or are fighting cancer, can have some respite.

Jason Forskitt, Zac’s dad, said the homes will be used to ‘put smiles on the faces’ of patients who have finished their chemotherapy.

“Zac, like anybody, loved holidays,” said Jason.

“He was longing to get back skiing when his body allowed him to. From September 2015 up until he passed away last March, it was a case of home, hospital – for long periods – and then back home for a short while.

“If at some point when you finish your chemo you can get away for a few days, or a week, to the coast; as awful as it is, it might be the last time you see the coast.”

‘A beloved friend’: Zac Forskitt.

Jason and his family have just returned from Italy, where they scattered Zac’s ashes by the Matterhorn, a mountain in the Alps, where Zac spent a ski season.

“It’s where he was hoping to get back to,” Jason said, “It’s where he met his girlfriend.”

Friend Billy Thurston has set up a Just Giving page to allow people to donate money to the cause and, currently, £433 has been raised.

Billy, 21, says the Cricket Society saw the Back Zac His Legacy Facebook page advertising the Silverstone half-marathon and decided, as a group, to take part in the event on March 13.

Billy said: “It happens to be the day before the anniversary of his death so we thought it would be a lovely way to remember him as well as a good way to raise money for the Bac Zac charity.

“Zac and I were involved within a close knit group of friends and were meant to be living with each other for this academic year as well.

“He was an extremely likeable guy and was very well-respected within the cricket society, this being emphasised by the fact he was voted to be our social sec.”

The runners have been given a training schedule by the Trent Athletics Club, outlining the regime the runners should follow in the build up to the race.

Billy Thurston, left.

“We’re certainly feeling fitter than we did over Christmas as the majority of us started training once we got back for second term,” Billy said.

Runners George Bloomfield, 21, and Luca Walker, 20, didn’t get to meet Zac – but will run to support their friends after their loss.

“He was exceptionally good mates with many of my good mates at university – both current students and graduates,” George said.

“Therefore he was a mate in my eyes.

“The support the lads of Trent Cricket have showed for him is staggering and shows how much of a top bloke he must have been.

“I want to run to support my friends who, sadly, lost one of their best mates.”

Luca’s brother Callum, who graduated last year, was one of Zac’s best friends.

“He was a very close mate to all of my friends so I want to support all of them,” Luca said.

Zac and his family.

“I have started to train and I’m fitter than I have been in a while but still have a lot of training to do.

“By the amount of people supporting Bac Zac since he was diagnosed, it shows he was a big part of the society – he was a massive loss to everyone.”

Trent Cricket hosted a match in honour of Zac last summer, which also raised money for the charity.

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