In April 2011, my dad was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiform. This is known as one of the most common and aggressive brain tumours.

My dad is really one of a kind, a face which you wouldn’t forget, always lighting up the room with his sparkling personality. Everyone instantly clicked with my dad as he was so easy to get along with. When he got diagnosed, did he sit and wallow? Become depressed? NO! When everyone was coming to term with the news, he was the one who was keeping everyone’s spirits up insisting he was fine. His positivity would beat this and nothing would get in his way!

Now 4 years on, my dad is no longer with us. I could not describe the feelings I went through that day watching the man who was my hero, my inspiration and my best friend leave. Holding his hand tightly insisting I would be there for him like he was always been for me. The loss is unbearable. The emotional pain, crippling. But the mark he left in our hearts, the memories in our mind will live on forever.

Now as you guess, he is the reason that for a fourth year, I am running the Leeds 10K. He is my motivation. Now, me running the 10K means nothing without the help and support of you and the money donated to help this charity. The awareness and funding of Brain Tumours is lacking. But this is where you come in...

Your donation would help go to researching this disease further as currently, the cure rate for brain tumours is significantly lower than most other types of cancer and shockingly, as a result of the lack of funding and research into the treatment, it means that the survival rate is no better than it was 40 years ago. It’s too late for my dad, but he would be proud that his “Wittering daughter” is doing all this in memory of him while helping the lives of many others.

So, that’s my story. That is the reason why I hope as many of you as possible will be kind enough to donate to this wonderful charity, to help people and families much like ours look forward to a brighter future where cancer will NOT destroy our lives and the lives of our loved ones. TOGETHER WE WILL BEAT THIS!

Thank you xx