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‘London Marathon pain nothing compared to my friends’ battle with mental health’

Siobhan Corria is raising money in memory of two friends lost to suicide

A GOOD samaritan who ran the Cardiff half marathon in a wedding dress is tackling her first marathon to raise £3,000 in memory of two friends who took their own lives.

Siobhan Corria, 45, from Llandaff North, is running the London Marathon in April to remember Elin Boyle and Tom Higgins.

Elin was a popular teacher at Ysgol Gyfun Plasmawr when she died in 2019 aged 43. Tom died in January of 2021 at the age of 37.

“Tom and Elin were two great friends”, said Siobhan. “I have some cracking memories with both of them and I still think about them often.”

Tom Higgins (left) and Elin Boyle (right)

Siobhan is aiming to raise £3,000 for the Samaritans, which is the official charity of this year’s London Marathon.

“I’ve been a long-term supporter of the Samaritans so when I saw they were the official charity of the marathon this year, I knew I had to do it,” Siobhan said.

“No matter how hard running the marathon will be, it’s nothing compared to the pain of the battle my friends went through with mental health.”

Siobhan has organised a couple of fundraising events in Llandaff North to try and help her reach her target.

The first event is a coffee and yoga morning which will take place on February 17 at the Llandaff North Community Centre. There will be stalls selling Mother’s Day hampers, hand-made cards and toiletries at the centre as well as refreshments.

The other event will take place at Llandaff North Rugby Club on April 13, a week before the London Marathon.

The London Marathon will not be Siobhan’s first time raising money for charity, however. In 2022, Siobhan and her husband, Terence Canning, took part in 10 running or cycling events to raise money for the UK Sepsis Trust.

That year marked 10 years since Terence’s brother, Mark, passed away from sepsis. The married couple managed to raise £5,000 in Mark’s memory.

In October 2022 Siobhan and Terence ran the Cardiff Half Marathon in bride and groom outfits to raise money for the UK Sepsis Trust before their wedding at Cardiff’s City Hall on December 3.

The family also hold a yearly 5-a-side football tournament, the Mark Canning Cup. In 2023, the tournament raised £1,000 for the UK Sepsis Trust.