A MAN is set to go through the pain barrier on Sunday to raise awareness of a life-threatening condition.

Mark Johnson, 32, will be running in memory of his lost baby when he joins thousands at the start of the London Marathon.

The Cleckheaton mail order manager will be pounding the streets for the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust.

Mark’s wife, Suzanne, suffered an ectopic pregnancy and he will run to raise funds for the trust.

Ectopic pregnancies occur when a fertilised egg implants outside of the womb, usually in the fallopian tube.

The condition is common, affecting one in 100 pregnancies.

Mark said: “When it happened it was something Suzanne and I knew very little about.

“We were desperate to find out as much as we could about this condition, but there was no information in the hospital and the nurses and doctors couldn’t answer many of our questions.’’

If a baby continues to grow inside a fallopian tube it can cause the tube to burst or otherwise severely damage it.

In either case a serious medical condition is likely to develop, requiring immediate attention.

Mark added: “We found the EPT website which was helpful and informative.

“We also visited the message boards where we found comfort and support from others who had been through similar experiences.

“I would like to be able to give something back to the EPT and, by running the marathon, I hope to play my part in raising awareness of this potentially life-threatening condition while at the same time raising funds towards the continued work of the trust.

“It won’t be fast, it won’t be easy and it’s going to be painful but I know that Suzanne and I would have been very much left in the dark without the help and support of the EPT, and for this I will always be very grateful.”

Mark will be joined by dozens of energetic Huddersfield runners, hoping to raise cash for different causes.

You can support Mark by visiting www.bmycharity.com/markjohnson

Examiner reporter Kevin Core is tackling the marathon for Action Aid which has a role in developing countries and has been doing work in Haiti following the earthquake.

Also, catch up with the Examiner’s marathon blog at http://blogs.examiner.co.uk/marathoneffort/