Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page...and I'm guessing if you've taken the time to visit I'm going to take a chance and thank you in advance for your donation!

Myself and some of my amazing girlfriends Gill, Alana, Kirsteen and Louise are going to run the annual 10K Run for Fun organised by University of Glasgow on Saturday 20th March to raise money for The Beatson Pebble Appeal.

The Beatson Pebble Appeal is a £10M campaign to raise funds to build the Beatson Translational Research Centre, the final element in the creation of the Glasgow Centre for Cancer Research. The Beatson Translational Research Centre (TRC) will convert basic cancer research into real improvements in treatments for patients. It will focus upon especially common tumours, those that cause the most deaths in Scotland such as endocrine (breast, prostate and ovarian), smoking related (lung, throat, oral) and gastroinestinal cancer.

It is unfortunately fact that every single person that reads this will have been touched by cancer. As most of you will know my Mum was diagnosed with bowel cancer last year. After a course of chemotherepy, radium treatment and recent surgery my family and I are in the very fortunate position of being able to look towards a happy ending as everything at this stage is looking extremely positive, although we're aware that the road to recovery has really just begun. Getting here would not have been posible if not for the dedication and determination of the surgeons, doctors and nurses we have encountered along the way and who have not only performed in their capasity as medical professionals but have provided emotional support and encouragement to all of us.

To be able to provide this standard of treatment costs money which is the motivation behind our decision to do this.

The Beatson TRC, which the University of Glasgow is developing jointly with the Beatson Institute, Cancer Research UK and the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board, will be the final part necessary to create the Glasgow Centre for Cancer Research, the largest comprehensive cancer centre in Scotland. It will also be one of the largest in the UK.

So far, almost £6M has been pledged. For more information please see http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/givingtoglasgow/beatsonpebbleappeal/home/

It  is rewarding to know that the money raised will go directly to treating cancer in Glasgow.  Cancer services in Glasgow serve over 60% of the Scottish population. With a wealth of experience in cancer research and a high incidence of the disease the city is strategically important in the fight against cancer.

I fully appreciate that there are always people asking for your hard earned money (...some earned harder than others!) but anything you are able to give is so greatly appreciated. My Mum's priority at the moment is to get herself better therefore a 10K is a bit of a stretch at this stage but doing this has given her such a lift and she feels like she's able to give back through us.

Thank you again xxxx