Thank you for visiting my page. I'm hoping to run the Bournemouth Marathon on Sunday the 4th of October 2015 to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support in memory of my friend Svetlana who lost her battle with cancer on the 18th of May 2013.

Svetlana found out she had cancer while she was pregnant and chose to delay treatment until after the safe arrival of her son on the 2nd of October 2010. She spent the next few years battling the cancer; undergoing numerous rounds of chemotherapy. Right to the very end she never lost hope, she stayed strong for everyone around her and she never stopped smiling. Svetlana means "Light" in Russian and Svetlana truly was a light to all around her.

In September 2012 I fell ill and was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. As the doctors struggled to get the disease under control and I had to adjust to the new reality of life with an incurable illness Svetlana was a huge source of strength for me. I knew if she could battle on with that degree of courage then so could I.

Her light didn't go out on the 18th of May - it lives on in her son, her family and her friends. She's inspired us all to live our lives to the fullest. Even now her example continues to give me strength. While undergoing her third round of chemotherapy she posted a picture of herself followed by this message:

"Dear friends, thank you all for your wishes and support. But with that chemo photo, I didn't want to make you sad about me, just trying to explain that please enjoy every minute of your life and be happy about small things happening in your life and appreciate it! With love Svetlana"

Since her life was cut short far too soon I want to make sure I live my life to the fullest in her memory. So as part of a bunch of things I want to accomplish before I hit 30 I'm setting myself the challenge of running my second marathon. The goal with my first one was just to finish, which I completed back in 2011 with a time of 6 hrs and 16 mins. This time round I want a sub 5hr time. The Bournemouth Marathon is my last chance before the big 3-0 to do this and I'm hoping my health will hold sufficiently for me to complete this challenge.

I hope you will donate as much as you can to support me in this, however small the amount, every little really does help. Macmillan provide vital support to cancer sufferers and their families as they come to terms with the diagnosis and as they battle this horrible disease.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity.