A decorated Andover soldier living with an incurable brain tumour is calling for hope and togetherness in the face of the disease.

Major Marc Wilding, 50, was just days away from running the London Marathon this year when he suddenly collapsed after arriving home from work.

His wife performed CPR after he had stopped breathing, and he only awoke two days later in A&E.

“I don’t remember anything," Marc said.

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"I woke up in the hospital with no idea why I was there; there had been zero warning signals. I just wanted to get out so I could do the marathon.”

The run would have to be put on hold for Marc, who was diagnosed with two glioblastomas (GBM).

He underwent surgery to remove the larger tumour which was believed to have instigated the stroke and “spawned the second”. The prognosis for this high-grade tumour is between 12 to 18 months.

“I count myself very lucky. Ten minutes before my seizure I had been travelling 70mph down the motorway. The ambulance arrived within two or three minutes. So many little things had to happen for me to be alive,” said Marc.

Rounds of ongoing chemotherapy haven’t “dimmed” Marc, who is determined to utilise his diagnosis to support others also battling the disease.

“When I heard that I didn’t have long to live, the thing that hit me hard is that I thought nothing good will come of me being ill. I became a soldier because I wanted to help people,” said Marc.

“So many people are going through the same thing, and it’s so important to stick together. In the army, you look after the person on your left or right. I’ve got friends and colleagues alongside me in the brain cancer queue, supporting and looking after each other.”

Marc and a team of friends and family will be taking on the London Marathon next year, and have already raised more than £9,000 for Brain Tumour Research.

Marc’s loved ones will also be joining him as he participates in the charity’s Walk of Hope in Paddington Recreational Ground in London on Saturday, September 28.

Walk of Hope is Brain Tumour Research’s annual national event where hundreds of supporters join walks or organise their own in their community to raise money to bring hope to brain tumour patients and their families.

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“The walk will be a great chance for us all to come together and give everyone a sense of fighting back. The money we are raising can hopefully go a long way for the all the researchers hunting for a cure,” said Marc.

Sign up for the Walk of Hope at braintumourresearch.org/pages/fundraise-walk-of-hope

Support Marc’s fundraising at justgiving.com/team/marcwildingfanclub