A family from Mid Wales have raised more than £100,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity - before even taking to the start line of the London Marathon.

Gareth Davies, from Cefn Gorwydd in Powys, and his daughters Gwen and Elin set themselves an initial target of £6,000 each in memory of wife and mother Michelle, who died last March aged 58 following a brain cancer diagnosis.

But a wave of community support has seen that figure multiply many times over, driven by a series of fundraising events – most notably a gala dinner at the Royal Welsh Showground, which alone brought in £65,000.

The event in January attracted around 570 guests from across Wales and featured a raffle, auction of promises, guest speakers and live music, with local businesses, organisations and friends all contributing to the effort.

Now the family are preparing to run the London Marathon together, tackling the 26.2-mile course in memory of Michelle.

For Gareth, 62, it will be his second time running the marathon, while daughter Elin, 26, previously completed the Amsterdam Marathon in 2023. For Gwen, 27, it will be her first time covering the full distance.

Despite their experience, they say this one feels different.

Elin said her mother had always been their biggest supporter on the sidelines.

“We used to joke that mum had to be the bag carrier - waiting in the cold and rain with a packed lunch - but we knew she absolutely loved it and would never miss any of our races,” she said. “She’d always be on the sidelines, and she’d love the fact that we’re doing it together.”

Michelle first began experiencing seizures in spring 2023. After a series of tests and a biopsy, she was diagnosed in February 2024 with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. She received treatment at the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff, and also underwent hyperthermia therapy in London.

She outlived her prognosis of nine months and continued to take part in fundraising for the charity herself, raising around £20,000.

Gareth said the family had been determined to give something back after the support they received.

“Michelle faced her diagnosis with remarkable positivity and determination,” he said. “After the initial shock, we didn’t know where to turn, but The Brain Tumour Charity was exceptional in explaining our options and supporting us through an incredibly difficult time.

“As a result, we just felt we were doing everything we possibly could for Michelle. She did too and she took part in fundraising events for the charity which brought in about £20,000. Her goddaughter was also diagnosed with a brain tumour the week after she died, and the charity has supported her, so we want to help the families of the future too. We are hugely grateful to everyone who has supported us in our fundraising efforts so far.”

Gwen added said: “We were grateful for the additional time we had with mum, even though nothing will ever prepare you to lose someone you love. I don’t think I would be running the London Marathon if it wasn’t for something so special. We’ve been doing quite a lot of training and Dad and Els keep me going!

“Research into brain cancer is severely underfunded, and survival rates are low, so we’re hoping the money raised will make a significant difference to people living with brain tumours and their families.”

Around 40 family members, friends and supporters are expected to travel to London to cheer the trio on when they take part in the London Marathon.

Clare Horwood, Director of Fundraising at The Brain Tumour Charity, said: “We are in awe of and extremely grateful for both the Davies family’s fundraising and physical efforts. Survival rates for brain tumours have not improved in decades and the money they and all our marathon runners raise will enable us to continue funding pioneering research to help us move closed to a future where brain tumours no longer destroy lives.”

Donations can be made via the family’s JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/page/gwen-davies-1