Merton runners will be among the thousands taking to London’s streets next Sunday, April 26, for the 2015 Virgin London Marathon. Here are some of those taking on the challenge from the borough  this year.

Wimbledon Times:

James Neiderman, pictured above, will run in memory of his grandmother Rose Creedon of Edmund Road, Mitcham, who died in November 2013 after a long battle with cancer.

He has already raised nearly £2,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Donate at www.justgiving.com/James-Niederman.

Wimbledon Times:

Mark Hassall, pictured above, who lives in Whatley Avenue in Raynes Park, is running the London Marathon this year in aid of Livability.

His training has been motivated by Korean pop music, and he will take it easy after injury forced him to withdraw from previous races. He took part in the Rabbit Run for the same charity recently. 

If he does not reach his £1,500 target, he will run the marathon dressed as Wonder Woman, shaved legs and all. Donate at www.justgiving.com/Mark-Hassall2.

Wimbledon Times:

Nicola Dunne, pictured above, from Wimbledon Park, will run her first marathon in memory of her sister Lisa who died aged 18 in 1997.

The 37 year-old is raising money for the Meningitis Research Foundation to raise awareness of the disease, which her sister died from and several other of her siblings have survived.

She said: “I am one of 10 children and there have been several cases of meningitis in my family. Lisa’s twin sister, Ciara, had three cases of bacterial meningitis between 1979 and 1981.

"The death of my sister was the last case of meningitis in my household. After Lisa died, it was discovered that some of my siblings had a weakened immune systems and could not fight the disease as hard as others”

“I am running for Meningitis Research Foundation because they have supported my family for many years and we want to help prevent more families going through the same traumatic situation.”

Sponsor her at www.justgiving.com/nicola-dunne2.

Wimbledon Times:

Kate Flory, 29, pictured above, from Wimbledon, is raising thousands of pounds for the Animal Health Trust (AHT) through a series of personal challenges including the marathon.

Ms Flory sadly lost her Golden Retriever Tia in 2012 suddenly to cancer, aged just six years-old. Since then Kate and her family have become dedicated supporters of the AHT. Last year Ms Flory and her sister Lucy climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, raising over £6,000 for the AHT. 

She said: “I’m definitely what you’d call a ‘beginner’ when it comes to running a marathon but I’ve been training really hard and hope to complete the London Marathon in five hours." 

She has already raised £1,000 by selling her home-made dog biscuits at the Wimbledon Windmill Tearooms.

Sponsor her here http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TeamTiaKateMatt

Wimbledon Times:

Vanessa Cullip wants to set a good example to daughter Millie, both pictured above, who was diagnosed with cancer aged just 10 months.

The family, from Wimbledon, have already raised £8,220 of Vanessa's £10,000 target through online sponsorship for Children with Cancer UK at www.justgiving.com/runningformilliecullip and fundraising activities.

Vanessa isn’t a natural runner, but wants to show her daughter Millie, that she can brave and strong too.

Millie has neuroblastoma and had a tumour alongside her spinal cord about her right lung.

She had surgery to remove the tumour aged 11 months and it was successful.  But less than a year after her initial diagnosis Vanessa and her family got the devastating news the cancer had returned and Millie needed chemotherapy and more surgery. She has since been given the all clear and goes for regular check-ups.

A young man who lost both parents to cancer has raised over £1,000 for charity

Alice Sillett is preparing to push herself to the limit by running the marathon for blood cancer charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, in memory of her mum who died from leukaemia nearly a year ago.

Wimbledon Times:

Alice’s mum, Karen Sillett, died within three weeks of being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in April 2014. She was told the cancer was curable but needed immediate treatment in the form of intensive chemotherapy, however three weeks later tragically died, aged 55.

Alice, pictured above with her father, an actor, puppeteer and duty manager at the New Wimbledon Theatre, is accepting donations online here http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AliceSillett

Wimbledon Times:

Wimbledon Park resident Will Miles, 25, is raising money for the charity Beating Bowel Cancer in memory of his mother Mandy who died from the disease when he was 12 years-old. Sponsor him here: www.justgiving.com/will-miles.