Bangor student runs Anglesey Marathon in memory of father

A PhD student from the School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography (SENRGY) at Bangor is running the Anglesey Marathon on Sunday in memory of his late father.

Wojciech Waliszewski, 39, became his father Wladyslaw’s full time carer after he suffered a massive stroke in October 2006.

'Staff at SENRGY were very supportive and allowed me time to care for my father at his home in Birmingham for over 18 months during my studies.

Wojciech with his father Wladyslaw'During that period I was his full time carer and many organisations helped me care for him,” he said.

'One of these was Crossroads Care, who provided carers to look after my father for some hours during each week so that I could have a rest, get out, sleep and relax."

'They were wonderful and so I am running to raise their profile to try and raise a few pounds for them, and to celebrate my Dad's memory."

His father who was a Second World War veteran, passed away in September 2008 and Wojciech is keen to show both his gratitude to Crossroads Care and raise money in memory of Wladyslaw.

Wojciech has already had £360 pledged if he finishes the marathon, and is hoping to double that amount through further donations. He added.

"It’s not so much about the money, it just about raising awareness of the good work carers carry out."

Wojciech first came to Bangor in 2001 to study for his Masters in Environmental Forestry following which he worked for Bangor University on projects in Lesotho, South Africa and Nepal. Since 2005 he has been working in West Africa on his PhD in Agroforestry where he has studied and grown, Katemfe, the plant that produces the sweetest natural substance, thaumatin, under rubber trees as a potential income supplement for rubber farmers in the region.

Two days after the marathon on Sunday, September 26, Wojciech will have his final oral exam for his PhD before traveling to Colombia to marry his fiancée Sonia, who has just passed her PhD in Agroforestry on the joint *CATIE-Bangor PhD program.

*CATIE is based in Costa Rica and has awarded many joint degrees with Bangor with whom it has collaborated for many years.

Publication date: 23 September 2010