Justin’s marathon fight back to health

Justin, 25, from Ashingdon, was one of a number of people to be honoured at an event to mark the success of Southend’s annual Moonlight Colourthon.

The project, spearheaded by Southend Round Table, has seen thousands of people take part in an annual late-night walk for charity.

For Justin, taking part in this year’s event, in July, looked an impossibility after he was badly injured when he was hit by a train in 1999.

Justin was on his way home from a pub after work when muggers approached him and forced him off the train at Hackney Downs station.

The station’s only exit was blocked, so he walked along the train track to get to the next station for help.

As he walked through a tunnel he was hit by a train at 80mph.

Justin was in a coma for five weeks and his family were told he would never walk again. But he proved them wrong and, despite the extent of his injuries, he was walking unaided four years later.

As well as the physical effects of his brain injury, Justin has to deal with distressing and frustrating cognitive difficulties, such as loss of memory and double vision.

But determined Justin, now 37, walked the 13-mile Southend Colourthon for the first time three years ago and said the sense of achievement he had was “amazing”.

He said: “I was trying to get my balance back and I thought I’ll do some walks for charity. My balance is not as good as it should be. It is a challenge, but it is achievable.

“When I crossed the finish line I felt amazing. I am going to do it every year and every year I tell myself I am going to get faster.”

By doing the last three walks, he has raised money for brain injury charity Headway. It offers advice and support to families and carers of those affected by brain injury, as well as running support group meetings.

Justin’s sister Victoria Carr, 34, said her brother had battled through so much to be where he is now.

She said: “Justin has got determination. What an achievement, they always told us Justin would be in a vegetative state forever. He is an inspiration to so many people.

“He is just lucky to be alive.”

Speaking of Justin’s determination to take part in the Colourthon, she added: “The first year he did just spring it on me. He said ‘Victoria, we are doing the Moonlight Colourthon’ and I said you had better buy me some trainers! The next year he did give me warning.”

Justin spoke at the Southend Round Table event celebrating the achievements of the Moonlight Colourthon at a ceremony, at Olympus KeyMed, in Stock Road, Southend.

It has raised nearly £700,000 for 549 different charities in the last five years and 5,574 walkers have taken part since it started in 2007.

The Round Table organises the event to allow small charities to encourage people to take part and raise money for them without having to pay any costs themselves.

Anyone can take part in the Colourthon and raise money for any charity.

Caroline Hammer, 42, from Chelmsford, took part in the last three events and has raised money for the Romanian charity Smiles.

She and her friend Robyn English got into the spirit of the event by dressing up as colourful clowns for the walk.

She said: “We got these bright- coloured T-shirts through the post and it all started from there. We had big red noses. It was so much fun taking part, everyone was dressed up.”

Justin Hart, Colourthon co-ordinator for the Round Table, said next year the charity was bringing in a new event, the Twilight Colour-thon, which is a shorter 10k route.

He said: “It is aimed at people who felt the half-marathon was just a bit too hard.

“All the charities have to do is get out there and get people walking for them.”

The next Moonlight and Twilight Colourthon event will be held on July 7, next year from 8pm.

There will also be a Sunlight Colourthon for children, which will be a lap around Chalkwell Park, held on the same day from 2pm until 4pm.

For more information about the Moonlight Colourthon, or to find out how to get involved, go to www.colourthon.org