I am running the Plymouth Half Marathon in 27 April 2014. I am the wrong side of 15 stone. It will hurt. A lot.

In preparation I will be running a lot, and also doing the below events.

I am doing Dryathlon - I like a Cider so this will be tough...

I am also going to do a 10K in advance of the Half Marathon - yet to be decided...

I am also cycling the Chilterns Cycle Challenge on 23 March 2014 - I cycled this last year and it was horrible, the hills are savage.

This page is set up to raise money for Reubens Retreat, you can google the charity to realise what Reubens brave parents, family and friends are all looking to achieve though below is a brief summary of Reubens Journey.  Please give generously to this great cause!

Every parents worse nightmare

Reuben was enjoying a family holiday in Devon; he was his usual happy self, having fun crabbing with his older brother Isaac. Reuben had been ill for 3 weeks on and off and despite several Doctors visits, nobody was unduly worried.  He would be sick in a morning and then he would recover within minutes and be fine for the rest of the day.  A tell-tale sign for things to come, but never in their wildest nightmares could they have known what was about to happen.

Reuben had a fall and became pale and distressed, his worried parents took him to A & E at Barnstaple Hospital and when Reuben failed to respond to some routine tests he was sent for a CT scan. The scan showed a large mass on his brain they suspected to be a tumour.

He was quickly transferred to the neurological unit at Frenchay Hospital by air ambulance where he underwent hours of surgery to relieve the pressure on his brain. Plans were quickly put in place for further surgery but sadly Reuben arrested during the night and his organs began to fail, despite fighting his way through another 5 hour operation some two days later he was too poorly to undergo any further surgery. He was transferred again to PICU at Bristol Children’s Hospital so they could help his organs to recover.  Reuben fell asleep in his Mummy’s arms on Tuesday 21st August 2012

The diagnosis

Reuben had suffered an ATRT which is Atypical terratoid rhabdoid tumour, it is a very rare and aggressive form of Cancerous tumour, only 4 to 5 children will be diagnosed with this tumour in the UK per year and there are very few symptoms.

A legacy in his name 

 

Despite the devastating grief that comes when a quarter of your family is gone, his brave and inspirational parents have set up a charity in his name, they plan to have a retreat in the north west countryside for children with life limiting and life threatening illnesses, with a support and bereavement counselling centre for Mummy’s, Daddy’s and Siblings who have lost their precious children. A place where families can take in the rolling hills and countryside, a place of comfort, peace and tranquillity, a place where memories can be built.