A DOCTOR from Penegoes on the outskirts of Machynlleth has raised over £12,000 as a prelude to kick starting a campaign to upgrade cancer/oncology services to Aberystwyth's Ysbyty Bronglais.

Dr Elin Jones has just completed the Henri Lloyd 10km run held at Abersoch near Pwllheli to raise money for a new dedicated chemotherapy unit at Bronglais, which serves patients from many parts of Powys, from Machynlleth and Llanidloes down to near Newtown.

She completed the run in one hour and 24 minutes having never run the a race before and only starting to train 10 weeks before the race.

Dr Elin who is a locum consultant oncologist at Bronglais, said: "I've been asking people to donate and decided that I had to do some sort of challenge myself.

"Running is way out of my comfort zone.

"I had not run at all until 10 weeks ago. I did a bit of swimming years ago but that was it.

"Then a friend of mine suggested we try to get a bit fitter and entered both of us in the 10km as "Abersoch is a lovely place".

"I found an app to help me training from couch to 5km but of course I was doing 10km.

"I trained on flatter routes around Machynlleth, but of course when we reached Abersoch the announcer said, "welcome this is one of the most challenging courses in the country."

Dr Elin continued: "The route was hilly, about 6km of climbing and you also run along the beach before the finish line, which nearly finished me off!

"I felt exhilarated at the finish line.

"It felt like and out-of-body experience, had I failed I would have let down the people who deserve this unit."

"I've been overwhelmed by the donations and the messages of goodwill from patients, family and friends and the people willing to donate large sums of money as a thank you.

" I was at the clinic the other day and a patient gave me £250, and another one £100 and The chemotherapy nurses have read the messages that have been left on the My Donate and my own Facebook page and they have beee humbled and surprised and feel the gratitude that people have about what we're doing."

Dr Elin added: "Looking after cancer patients is a privilege as you see people at their most vulnerable and yet at their bravest.

"It makes you feel very grateful for what you have in your life, I don't complain about small things these days."

The www.mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/elinjones1 page will be open to donations for another month.