Richard Herring raises £30,000 for two Hertfordshire hospitals

A comedian has raised more than £30,000 for the hospitals where he received treatment for testicular cancer.

Richard Herring wanted to thank NHS staff at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage and Mount Vernon Cancer Centre in Northwood, in north London.

He ran the Hertfordshire Half Marathon in November, nine months after surgery, and has so far raised £30,422.

The stand-up comedian who first found fame in the comedy double act Lee and Herring, alongside Stewart Lee, had an operation at the Lister in February.

Herring, 54, subsequently had chemotherapy at the Mount Vernon in March and ran the 13.1-mile (21km) long race, on 7 November.

In a blogpost after the run he said: "It's a great personal achievement, but also a reminder that cancer is not the end and that it can be survivable. I still don't feel like I had cancer, but apparently feelings are not facts.

"I came home with my medal and told the kids I had won the race, but in a way I had."

It was revealed ahead of the run, which started and finished in Knebworth, that he had received a pledge to match any donations made on the day, helping him pass his £25,000 target.

Herring, who was also a champion on the Channel 4 game show Taskmaster, said: "I never imagined when I was having the surgery that I'd be running a half marathon just nine months later and that I'd do it in under two hours!

"I did this to thank all the NHS staff who helped to save me."

He said on his Just Giving page that the money would go to the charity which funds the purchase of new specialist equipment, extra staff training, research and projects to enhance patient experience, and will be split between the two hospitals.

On its website, a charity spokesman said: "Everyone at our hospitals would like to say congratulations and huge thanks to Richard for not only running the half marathon, which has a very challenging route, but also for raising this incredible amount of money.

"Richard is a great comedian and also a very kind and thoughtful person to do this.

"His brilliant fundraising will ensure our wonderful NHS teams continue to give exceptional care to patients who face similar situations to his. We are all extremely grateful."

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