Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I'm running the Great North Run in memory of my great friend David Greaves who sadly lost his battle with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in September last year, after being diagnosed shortly before his 30th birthday in 2015. 

Despite such adversity, Dave showed incredible strength, courage, and maintained his beautiful sense of humour the whole way through his devastating journey. He was an inspiration to me, not just physically but intellectually. Following his diagnosis, Dave wrote and published a children's book to raise funds for the Friends of the Earth (www.homelessbee.starringstorys.co.uk/), climbed Kilimanjaro (raising over £12,000 for MND Association), and travelled around Africa, funding 400 school uniforms to children in Kenya so that they could attend school, went on safari in Malawi and Zambia, and flew over Victoria Falls by helicopter at the end of rainy season. 

Prior to his diagnosis, Dave was exceptionally fit. Just a year before his diagnosis he ran 69 miles along Hadrian’s Wall path from Carlisle to Newcastle in just one day. And the year before that, he completed the “ultra triathlon” Iron Man Challenge in Wales with relative ease – 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile cycle, and a 26.2 mile run. He also completed several marathons too raising money for charity. 

Inspired by Dave's stamina, his sense of fun, and love of activity, and in support of research into this devastating disease, I'm joining the rest of the ‘2Fingers2MND’ team to raise money for the MND Association by running (jogging, sauntering) the Great North Run on September 10th 2017. The 2Fingers2MND team have so raised over £63,000 for MND Association in Dave's name.

MND is a degenerative disease that results in death of motor neurons (the cells which control voluntary muscular movement of the body). It robs those who suffer from it of the use of their limbs, their voice and eventually their lungs. It drastically reduces life expectancy - 50% of people die within 2 years of diagnosis. 

It is also more common than a lot of people think - a person's lifetime risk of developing MND is up to 1 in 300.

Any donations would be much appreciated!