You’re probably wondering what on earth Challenge Harvs is all about…well pull up a chair and I'll fill you in...(maybe make a cuppa and grab a biccy too - we all know I'm not a concise person!)

On 28th September 2014 I’ll be standing on the start line in Windsor, about to embark on the Windsor Half Marathon.  If I manage to survive that, I’ll be doubling the distance and running the Virgin London Marathon on 26th April 2015.

Why (apart from being completely and utterly off my rocker) have I decided to put myself through such a hellish challenge?!  I’m doing it for Mummy Harvs and to raise money for Target Ovarian Cancer.

In 2010, Mummy Harvs was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  My world was turned upside down.  I remember the moment she sat Lucy and I down on the sofa and told us, all I could think of were the things she’d miss – Lucy’s graduation, our weddings, meeting her grandchildren…

The doctors were incredible though, and she was soon undergoing chemotherapy either side of having major surgery to remove the tumours that had been found.   She showed how strong she was, fighting off those evil cancer cells left, right and centre, and always with a smile on her face.  Her positivity and courage were astounding.

She responded well to treatment and it wasn’t long before the doctors recommended her check-up scans be made more infrequent.  But the cancer cells had other ideas and came back with a vengeance in 2012.  It was what we all were dreading.  The chemo started up again, and Mummy Harvs underwent more major surgery.  This time round, she was put forward for a wonder drug (Avastin) which, although not a cure, can help keep the cancer cells at bay, and is doing exactly what it says on the tin.

Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest forms of the disease; over 7,000 women are diagnosed and 4,300 lose their fight against it every year.  We’re so lucky that Mummy Harvs was diagnosed early enough for treatment to be effective, but often the symptoms seen are similar to other common conditions making ovarian cancer difficult to diagnose.  Target Ovarian Cancer is the national ovarian cancer charity, working to save lives and help women diagnosed live their lives to the full, wherever they are in the UK.  They do this by improving early diagnosis, finding new treatments and providing support to all those affected by this cancer.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page and read my ramblings.  If you can find it in your hearts to sponsor me for my double the distance challenge, I would be eternally grateful.  I’m not asking for much, just a pound or two…in the words of Tesco, “every little helps”.

Now, where did I put my trainers?!

Just as an aside (the boring legal bit)…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. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.  If you are a UK taxpayer, please remember to tick the Gift Aid box – this will increase your donation by at least 25%, with no extra cost to you.