Last year I decided to do something on a whim and enter the London Marathon ballot. Never did I think I'd get a place, but here we are, 5 months to go and I've never run more than 10km in my life. My Nana would say to me "Ella Bella, you are mad" and yes, I'd probably agree with her. My Nana was always full of fun and laughter. She'd always be there to listen to all of our problems and be our shoulder to cry on, along with taking us out on shopping days or saying "shhh don't tell Gasey but here's £20". In 2014, Nana was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer caused by asbestos, called mesothelioma. Despite not being given long to live, Nana fought the cancer for 3 years but sadly lost her fight in November 2017. We all miss her more than anything and I wish she was here to see me do this. That's why I have decided to dedicate, what I hope is my first marathon of many, to her and the charity Mesothelioma UK, in the hope that their research and support can lead to helping find a cure for this disease and providing help for mesothelioma patients and their families.