FINNART AFC : SC050583

I will be running the gruelling distance from HAMPDEN to WEMBLEY, arriving at the english national football stadium on JUNE 18 for kick off for SCOTLAND VS ENGLAND at the international football event EURO 2021. This equates to a marathon a day for 15 days. 390 miles.

The reason for this run and your donation is to contribute to building a new community centre at the heart of Glasgow Green alongside Finnart Acadamy. The centre will provide a vital service for all underprivileged kids in Glasgow and surrounding areas. This will be a centre for sport, health, education and well being for every child in need. With your donation, the centre will be one step closer to being fully established all kids in need will receive the much needed support they need.

My plumbing company and many other local companies in the Glasgow area are keen and already signed up to contribute towards the construction and development of the centre and your donation is crucial to bringing this much needed vital support to life.

Finnart A.F.C was established in Bridgeton by Mr Philip Blair in 1979, with the main aim to create a community club and safe atmosphere / environment for teenagers to play and enjoy football. The club worked hard to bring different sectors of Glasgow’s east end together despite the gangland culture in the early 80’s. This ethos has continued through the years bringing many ethnic origins, geographical areas and skill set together to enjoy football.

Due to the growth and ambition of the club and their previous charity work, the Management Committee feel that now is the time for Finnart AFC to create their own home and legacy.

Here is a brief breakdown as to why i personally decided to take on such a challenge;

In August 2020 i was diagnosed with a tumour. After a 30 mile run i urinated blood for 3 days and was advised to visit a doctor. After a CT scan in Monklands hospital, I was told a few weeks later that i had a 6cm tumour located on a nerve in my lower back.

3 weeks later, i then went for a MRI scan to determine whether or not i had cancer. Despite waiting for a further 3 weeks, i received a call to inform myself that the medical team were not sure and under qualified to give me a correct diagnosis. They referred me to the bone and soft tissue specialists at the royal infirmary.

They immediately wasted no time and scheduled myself in for a CT biopsy. This meant lying in the CT scan machine whilst they placed a needle through my muscle, underneath my spine and directly at the tumour to retract a sample for testing. With the tumour being on my nerve i can safely say it was incredibly uncomfortable and i would not recommend a CT biopsy.

With the biopsy complete i had a ten day period to wait for results as to whether or not i had cancer. Luckily, the samples came back and the doctors confirmed to me that i did not have cancer. I have never felt relief like it as the whole 3-4 month process of this had serious effects on my mental wellbeing and my livelihood throughout the entire process.

Unfortunately a negative cancer result did wasn't the end of the journey. I had a meeting with the doctor to reveal and discuss his findings. He told me i require surgery to remove it and i may lose the ability to walk/control my right leg as this tumour was situated on that nerve. I had to wait 4 weeks for the medical team to plan and decide if surgery was to go ahead. During this time i ran the virtual boston marathon 2020. It was scheduled in April but cancelled due to covid. Despite the medical situation, i was never going to let anything stop me from gaining that medal having worked so hard to qualify for the race.

After 4 weeks, they stated that they did not need to go ahead with surgery, just along as i don't feel any physical pain - which i don't. However if i begin to feel pain then the 7 hour surgical procedure to remove the tumour will go ahead. Luckily again, after more research the discovered that instead of loss of function for my whole leg, it would only effect my right foot eg being able to lift it.

Despite it being the most difficult period of my life where i was challenged and found myself in places mentally that i don't think il ever visit again, I feel incredibly fortunate and that i have been gifted a complete new lease of life. The fact i have a 6cm tumour, and went through all the scans and appointments just to be told i can function and live as normal makes me incredibly grateful and has given me a truer more pure understanding of life as a whole but also for the victims of cancer and diseases where they do not receive the same news i did. These people, aswell as their families are the true heroes and this whole experience has changed my life for the better and i want celebrate being able to function healthily and turn such a negative year into a positive one and complete this challenge and make a real change.