Grieving Louth mum to run marathon for cancer charity in memory of husband

Businesswoman Dawn Hartnett, 48, will take part in the iconic event next April -- almost two years exactly since husband Joe was first diagnosed with melanoma cancer.

Sadly, a two-year battle fighting the skin disease ended in tragedy on June 1 this year when Joe passed away at the age of just 39, leaving not only Dawn but also their seven-year-old son, Jack.

When the couple first met, in Mablethorpe back in 2017, they each compiled a bucket list of things they wanted to do during the rest of their lives.

One of Dawn’s was to run in the London Marathon, and before he died, Joe urged her to fulfil that ambition.

So she has just started her training, and is hoping generate financial help for the cancer charity based at the specialist Royal Marsden Hospital in London, where he was treated in his later days.

Dawn said: “The Royal Marsden gave us hope, but also gave us the extra time together as a family that I will cherish forever.

"Jack has lost his dad far too soon, and I am now trying to navigate life without my husband while supporting our son through the biggest loss he has ever known.

"The thought of our little boy growing up without his dad is something I am struggling to come to terms with.

"No family should have to say goodbye to a husband and father at just 39. We never imagined that this would be our story.

"Joe made me make a promise to fulfil my bucket list. So here I am asking for help along this difficult journey."

Dawn used to live in Peterborough and managed contact centres within the home and motoring insurance industry for about 25 years.

But eight years ago, she met Joe, who hailed from Sutton on Sea and was in charge of security at the Haven Golden Sands Holiday Park in Mablethorpe, where she had a caravan.

She soon re-located to Louth, they were married in Cyprus and, together in 2021, they set up their own business, Dawn’s Housekeeping, which offers a variety of cleaning services for commercial and domestic properties and also holiday homes.

Life was going swimmingly until Joe, who also worked as a special constable for Lincolnshire Police, discovered a mole on his right calf.

"It was causing aggravation and bleeding for no reason, so he went to the doctor’s,” recalled Dawn.

"The doctor said it had to come off, so it was duly removed. But then we found out that it was cancerous and the tumours were spreading.

"Joe had more operations but in January this year, he was told the cancer was terminal and he was referred to the Royal Marsden.

"Our family had to face the unimaginable reality that we would lose someone who should have had many more years ahead of him.

"It was completely unexpected. Joe wasn’t a sun-lover and there was nothing in his lifestyle to suggest it could have been prevented.

"It was a genetic form of melanoma cancer that just happened to be in his DNA. It was a very rare mutation.”

Joe and doctors tried everything they could to beat the cancer. A specialist from Australia flew in to the hospital to add his expertise, and the couple spent hundreds of pounds on hiring a nutritionist to give advice on his diet and medication.

"But it didn’t matter,” said Dawn. “The melanoma was just too aggressive and because research is still continuing, they didn’t know what was causing it.

"We spent hours in the melanoma clinic, and saw that it hits all kinds of people – from teenagers to people in their 70s and 80s.”

The need for more research into the disease is one of the reasons Dawn is hoping to raise funds for the charity.

She also hopes that by telling her “truly devastating” story, it will help other families afflicted by similar tragedies.

"It’s particularly important to touch on the financial impact on families when they lose someone so young,” she stressed.

"The benefit of having personal life insurance is huge. Joe’s monthly premium wasn’t much, but now it has lifted a massive weight off our shoulders.”

On winning a place in the TCS London Marathon, Dawn received a training plan from the organisers, and is now into her fourth week.

She’s not a runner but described herself as “relatively fit” and is hoping to complete the 26-mile race in between five and six hours.

In the meantime, her fundraising page at the TCS London Marathon website is open for donations and sponsorships, with her initial target set at £2,500.

Dawn adds: “If you are able to donate, no matter how small, it would mean more to us than I can put into words.

"What started as a diagnosis became a heartbreaking journey that changed our lives forever.

"Despite everything Joe was going through, he remained a loving husband and devoted dad.

"Every contribution you make will help us beat cancer and may just make the difference for another family.

"Thankyou for taking the time to read our story and for remembering my husband. Forever loved, forever missed and never forgotten.”

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