Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. It means allot to me and my family that you have past by here... Also many thanks for your support over the last few years in donations and support.

After completing London Marathon 2014, 2015 and 2016 myself, and Ian Lake 2014, we decided it was time for a change and to step things up a gear or two.....

So this year we are taking part in the Windsor Olympic Triathlon, to be held in Windsor on June 18th 2017.  This involves a 1500k swim in the River Thames, 40k Bike Ride and then a 10k run around Windsor.

The training is proving to be quite hard and intense as we are both still over 50, haha,  work full time and never completed anything on this level !! We will complete this for the PHA-UK and raise some more money for this charity that does so much for others, and our motto is, Never Give Up!

Please read our stories below for more information on the PHA-UK and our reason to push on forward and complete this challenge and about our previous fundraising events.

2015, Update from 2014,   First and for most,  I would like to thank each and everyone of you  for last years donations and support...It truly  was much appreciated..... This year, 2015, is my second year of running the London Marathon ... I am hoping to complete this challenge in under 4 hours..which is over an hour faster then last years..... Also this year I am running alone, so will hopefully have your support...... Please read my last years story, reason for running London Marathon 2015 and how important it is to me to raise awareness for a charity that is very close to my heart,,,,, Oh and yes, this year I am 51 years old and doing my 2nd ever London Marathon, but I know my Lil Lady will keep me running ;  )   

  I am running the Virgin London Marathon 2014 with a fellow 50 year old friend, Ian Lake, I am sure Ian will add his thoughts to this page soon also.

We are taking this challenge in memory of my much missed 19 year old daughter, Leanne Pannell, who we lost to a rare terminal illness in 2008.

As we approached our 50th birthdays we decided that it was time to get some fitness back into our lives and we came to the decision that training for the London Maraton would be a challenge, and also we could help raise some much needed money for a charity that supported Leanne and my family through the ups and downs, and there were many of ups and downs when living life with a terminal illness, and more so when it is your child and there is nothing you can do to make them better...  We wanted to give something back to a charity that just does so so much for others.

 The training is not easy, especially when we are 50 years old and have not done any proper physical exercise in many many years! But Leannes spririt and her Motto will keep us running... Never Give Up! Leanne never gave up fighting and was still living her life to the full the day she sadly passed.

  Leanne was a fit healthy beautiful young girl. who loved life and lived it to the full. Leanne competed in many school sports competitions and was a excellent swimmer. Leanne main love was her gymnastics and competed nationally on the school gym circuits Then one morning when she was 13 years old she woke unable to breath, and was struggling to climb the stairs. After the normal doctors apps and antibotics it became clear this was not a chest infection it was so much more serious.... Well 9 months later and finally getting a referrel to Great Ormond Street Childrens Hospital our worst fears were confirmed... Leanne had Pulmonary Hypertension... A serious/terminal lung disease that effects 1 person per million... Leanne was given 18 months to live...Leanne never gave up and had a  spirit and zest for life that allowed her to live a further 6 years, she firmly believed she had a purpose in this world and was not going to sit in a chair and wait! Leannes motto was, Never Give Up... But sadly lost her battle with this illness very suddenly on 2nd January 2008. Leanne never gave up but her heart did......

 Leanne was a member of the PHA-UK and took part in many awareness campaignes, through tv, radio, dvds and also took part in a channel 5 doucumentary, Child in a million.... Promoting awareness was so important to Leanne as she did look perfectly normal when sitting in her car or pottering around the house, No ones really understood the daily struggles of living with a hidden terminal illness.

 The PHA-UK is an amazing charity, it not only supports the patients suffering from Pulmonary Hypertension, but the families also. This charity works endlessly and helps to fund research into a cure for this terrible disease. Sadly the cure will come to late for my daughter but maybe with more research we can help save someone elses child....... 

Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is a serious medical condition, not to be confused with Hypertension (high blood pressure), that can take 2 - 5years to be diagnosed. People with PH, in short, have thicker artery walls that do not stretch as effectively with exertion. This means the heart has to work harder to pump blood to the lungs. If the heart has to work harder than usual over a long period of time (months or years), it begins to work less effectively. For more info, please Click here to learn more about what PH is.The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA UK) is the only charity in the UK especially for people with pulmonary hypertension (PH). We are committed to helping improve the lives of people with PH, and supporting the PH community in the UK. We do this by funding research into PH, raising awareness of the condition, and helping people in their day-to-day lives.

The PHA UK was started in 2000 with only 6 members. We now have approximately 3000 members and over 10 years’ experience of supporting people affected by PH.

If you have any queries or would like to find out how the PHA UK can help you, please contact us. You can also join the PHA UK online.

Like all charities, details of how we raise and spend our money each year are available on the Charity Commission website by searching ‘Pulmonary Hypertension Association’.

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