Why the hell I am going to run 26.2 miles?  I did it once and instantly vowed never to do it again, but I'd forgotten about my ballot entry to the London Marathon and after many years of trying this was my lucky year (sob).  My knees will never forgive me.

I've done bits and pieces for charity before and each time have umm'd plenty over which charity to choose, there are so many that deserve support.

This time the choice was easy.

Oliver Brown made national headlines after he was diagnosed with an extremely rare disease called Myelodysplastic Syndrome - a blood cancer affecting four children per million worldwide. Oliver developed the disease aged eight, as a result of a complicated genetic disorder relating to his GATA2 gene, which also resulted in Oliver being born deaf. Over the last 3 years Oliver has undergone two bone marrow transplants.

But in May 2019 Oliver and his family heard the news that the cancer had returned and that there are no further curative options available. 

Oliver sadly passed away in November 2019 aged 11.

The money you donate will go to the Wallace & Gromit Grand Appeal. This amazing charity supports all areas of Bristol Children’s Hospital by funding pioneering, life-saving equipment and research, including ventilators, a cardiac hybrid theatre and an inter-operative MRI scanner, so patients have access to the best possible healthcare and equipment. Every year, on average 130 children are diagnosed with a form of cancer within the South West, and the unit in Bristol receives patients from across the UK, and cares for over 370 day patients and around 300 inpatients every year.

The Grand Appeal do not have any charity places at the 2021 London Marathon, so I thought they could share mine.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

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.