Hi I'm Dan and 2023 is going to be my year of giving back. 

The Challenge

This year I entered the ballot for a place at the London Marathon in April 2023 and after being given a place, the spark of an idea to make London the first leg of a fundraising challenge came about.

As someone born in Leeds and fuelled by the significance of the inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon on May 14th, adding a second marathon 21 days later seemed like an easy decision.

What about 3 marathons in the space of a month? Calendar dates for UK-based marathons didn't quite work out exactly to 30 days but with Edinburgh Marathon on 28th May (14 days later) that made it 3 city marathons in 35 days.

The 3in35 challenge was born. 

- TCS London Marathon 2023 - April 23rd

- Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon 2023 - May 14th

- Edinburgh Marathon 2023 - May 28th

My Story

My first real encounter with the disease was when my Grandma Joyce was diagnosed with MND back in 2004, her quick deterioration and passing left a large hole in our family. A woman who had led a busy, active, and social lifestyle right up to the point where MND took hold.

In the last few years, I have seen family relations both on my mother's side and through my sister-in-law see loved ones diagnosed with varying forms of MND. It has given me even more reason to want to join the fight and help support the MND Association in all of its work, in both finding a cure and supporting those affected and their families in their day-to-day life.

The Charity

You may have heard of the outstanding fundraising efforts for Rob Burrow and MND led by Kevin Sinfield OBE. Rob's MND diagnosis in 2019 shocked everyone in the sport and wider. Since that time, I have been more aware of the complexity of the disease and how it affects people so differently and on different timescales as the disease has been brought more into the public eye. 

I don't profess to know as much about the disease as some of the fantastic doctors, nurses, and charity workers who support those living with it, so instead of trying to explain a very complex condition, I thought I'd share some links about MND and the MND Association below.

What is MND - https://www.mndassociation.org/about-mnd/what-is-mnd/

About the MND Association - https://www.mndassociation.org/

I hope you'll all add the MND Association to your list of charities to support in 2023 and donate whatever you can so we can all help support families across the country living with MND. 

I haven't set an official target for fundraising, but I've put £1500 as my way of getting started. 

I'll be sending regular updates over the next 200 days and hope to do the charity and my family proud.

Anything you wish to donate is greatly appreciated :)

Dan