In 2014, my life took a sudden turn while I was coaching football (never soccer) in America. What began as persistent headaches soon escalated into debilitating migraines, robbing me of my ability to coach and lead a normal, pain-free life.

After months of putting up with it and countless failed attempts to find relief through medication, I was advised to seek an MRI scan. A big move for a chap with no health insurance, yet ultimately lifesaving, as it provided an answer. I had a tumour on my pituitary gland.

Once back in the UK, I was diagnosed with Acromegaly, a ‘celebrity’ growth hormone disorder made famous through the 007 villain, Jaws. Behind the scenes, the tumour had been working hard to disrupt my hormones. The solution? Surgery to remove the tumour and yet more tablets and medications! *Insert joke about having enough medicine to open a pharmacy here.*

I was fast tracked to receive surgery within 10 days of meeting my endocrine specialist team and when the day arrived (27 November 2014) the operation was a partial success, but I was left with yet another new medical diagnosis to read about - diabetes insipidus.

In 2016, and then again in 2018, I found myself returning to operating theatre and hospital wards I had come to know well, to have more bits of the ever-present tumour removed from my pituitary gland.

Fast forward to 2024 - a decade since the headaches began. To mark this milestone, I've committed in a pretty big way to mark the occasion. I will move 10 kilometres every day, for 10 months. Committing to run, cycle, or swim to push myself 10km. There might be some days where I feel motivated to complete more than 10km, compensating for other days when my body won’t let me out the door. But when possible, 10km will be the goal, every day from 1 January until the 31 October 2024.

But this isn't just about me.

Brain tumours are silent killers that take the lives of children and adults under 40 at an alarming rate; yet they receive only a minuscule fraction of research funding.

I'm determined to do my bit to change that. I'm raising funds for Brain Tumour Research who are the only national charity dedicated to funding long-term, sustainable research in the UK. With your support, we can make a difference, and together, we will find a cure.

Please join me on this journey, as I lace up my running shoes, mount my bike, and dive into the water, day after day. Your contribution will not only help me achieve this physical feat but will also bring us one step closer to a world where brain tumours no longer hold power over lives. Together, we are unstoppable.