A STEETON woman has completed cycling and running challenges to raise money for charity while honouring her late parents.

Tracey Healey, 54, last month rode 500km from London to Paris in memory of her mother Valerie who died two years ago from lymphoma.

The four-day ride followed her run in the London Marathon last summer as a tribute to her father, who died from vascular dementia in 2010.

Tracey, a former Airedale speech and language therapist, managed to raise more than £3,000 each for the charities Dementia Revolution and Bloodwise, formerly Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

She said: “The whole experience was amazing and has added to a tremendous year. I wanted to honour both my wonderful parents by helping the charities fight these awful conditions.”

The cycle ride, an annual event organised by Bloodwise, was particularly poignant because it fell almost on the second anniversary of her mother finally succumbing to the disease she had fought for more than four years.

Tracey’s husband, Airedale hospital physician Chris Healey, and son Joe had already prepared to do the London to Paris ride that year to support Valerie’s fight against lymphoma.

Chris accompanied Tracey on this year’s ride, and they were among 160 people who formed strong bonds because most of them either had lymphoma or were related to someone with the disease.

The pair are founding members of the Airedale Dodgers, the hospital’s running group, after taking up running in 2008.

Chris said: “Tracy is a good runner and has run marathons before, and she has always wanted to do the London Marathon. She did it with Jill Atherton, a physio at Airedale.”

Chris said his wife found cycling a very different experience to running.

He added: “She’s not a natural cyclist but wanted to do something in memory of both her parents. She found cycling a real challenge and was terrified of the whole exercise.

“I think the running and cycling has been a way for Tracey to find closure for her loss, and honour both her parents.”

Visit justgiving.com/fundraising/TC-RideLondon19 to make a donation to Tracey’s fundraising efforts.