On May 29th this year, I'm going to be running the Edinburgh Marathon in support of AMMF, the UK's only charity dedicated to raising awareness of, and supporting specialised research into, cholangiocarcinoma - or cancer of the bile duct. 

On this day (26th of February) in 2017, my fiancee Kimberley's father Gerry turned 65. The same day, he sadly passed away. Gerry would've turned 70 today if not for his illness, and so I'm asking friends and family for some support in providing AMMF with the resources to support people like Gerry, and to further research into treatment and early detection for what is a devastating type of cancer. 

There are often few specific symptoms of cholangiocarcinoma until the disease is advanced, and as a result successful treatment is very different to achieve. In addition to raising awareness and patient support, one the main objectives of AMMF is to encourage and support specialised research into understanding the causes, finding ways to achieve earlier diagnosis and effective treatments for this disease.

I started running in March 2020, when I was challenged to run 5km in support of NHS charities. That first one was hard work, but I kept running during lockdowns, and set the goal of running a marathon before I turned 30. When the pandemic saw most marathons postponed, the goal changed to running one before I turned 31, and now I'll finally be doing it in my 32nd year instead. What hasn't changed though is my decision to run in aid of AMMF. 

Gerry McKinley was a wonderful husband, and father to Kimberley and her two brothers. I'm very lucky to have become engaged to his daughter last year. Gerry should have been here to be part of that moment with us, and should be enjoying his retirement with his grandchildren. I hope that by supporting AMMF, others will have a better chance of living beyond a cholangiocarcinoma diagnosis, and enjoying those things that Gerry should have been able to.

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.