20 years ago it was only ever me and Vikki representing the women in press rooms in football stadiums up and down the country. As someone I used to read growing up, Vikki was always a huge inspiration to me.

She very much believed in "leaving the ladder down" for the women who came after her.

On a personal level, the kindness shown to me from her and her husband Ian when I lived alone and nearby, by inviting me round for dinner or to their favourite pub will never be forgotten. 

With the London Marathon Media Suite named after Vikki, I thought this would be a fitting tribute to raise money for the Royal Marsden who took such good care of her and continue to look after Ian to this day. I can't promise I'll put in a performance worthy of one she used to watch in stadiums across the world, but I'll get over the line somehow!

The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity raises money solely to support The Royal Marsden, a world-leading cancer centre. We ensure our nurses, doctors and research teams can provide the very best care and develop life-saving treatments, which are used across the UK and around the world. From funding state-of-the-art equipment and groundbreaking research, to creating the very best patient environments, we will never stop looking for ways to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.