As I’m sure most of you know, things have developed a bit since I wrote the below in 2019. Dan’s cancer came back at Christmas and despite fighting and fighting as he has done throughout, we lost the most amazing person in April 2020. 

The 2020 marathon was cancelled because of Covid but WCRF have given me the chance to do both the virtual 2020 marathon and to compete in the 2021 marathon (hopefully crowds will be back for this one!) all for my amazing brother.

I completed the virtual run on 4 October 2020 in the cold wind and rain but I’m still looking forward to getting back out there in 2021 to do it again with the crowds. I look forward to seeing you out there! 

Thanks for your support so far and for the great support to come.

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As most of you know, 2019 hasn't been the easiest of years for my family. In April of this year, we were all in Las Vegas celebrating my brother, Dan's, 30th birthday. He became desperately ill and was admitted to hospital as soon as he got home. 

After being diagnosed with a perforated bowel, he underwent emergency life-saving surgery which left him on life support, fighting sepsis and in a medically induced coma. 

A few weeks later, Dan was diagnosed with Cancer - Burkitt's Lymphoma - a very aggressive and rare kind of blood cancer. After a few months of brutal chemotherapy whilst in intensive care (whilst Dan was still recovering  from a life-saving operation and left with an open-wound in his stomach the size of a watermelon), Dan was finally able to spend his first night outside of hospital on 20th October (nearly 6 months after being admitted).

The cancer inevitably spread to other areas of his body, there have been complications, collapsed lungs and additional operations and sometime next year, Dan will need to undergo bowel reconstruction surgery. However, the cancer is in remission and we are all incredibly hopeful and looking forward to spending Christmas together and making 2020 a much better year.

Rather contradictorily, I have decided to make my Christmas and the first four months of 2020 miserable by choosing to run the London Marathon. After recently finding out how badly my Diabetes affects my blood sugar levels on long runs (the Bilbao half marathon was not fun!), I have discovered that I basically need to run with a picnic basket full of sugary treats if I'm to run 26 miles without going into a diabetic coma. So that will be fun...

I am running the marathon for World Cancer Research Fund and anything you can spare would be incredibly appreciated. I know first hand how much of a bitch Cancer can be so please help me and World Cancer Research Fund to try and beat this horrible disease.

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.