I am running in my first half marathon, the Rutland Spring Half Marathon, for Cancer Research UK this year. In uni I had an illness which has left me with a respiratory condition. It's like being allergic to any smells so when I smell perfume or grass, anything at all really, my chest tightens and my voice sounds like Darth Vader! A half marathon is a big challenge for me- 13.1 miles, 21km. 

Our Grandad passed away in 2015. He was perfectly fine just before Christmas. Nothing at all was wrong. Then he was suddenly admitted into hospital. Within less than four months he transformed from being the Grandad that my sisters, brother and I had always known and loved to just not being there any more. This is what cancer can do. This experience encouraged me to start raising money for Cancer Research UK and I have done so every year since 2015 in memory of my Grandad. It's been a struggle, from that first 5 minutes to that first 5k to that first 10k but the struggle is worth it for this cause.

But this race is not just for my Grandad. It is not just for the people who are currently fighting against cancer or the families helping them through the struggle. I'm doing this for everyone. One in two people born after 1960 in the UK will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime (Ahmad et al., 2015).

Please help everyone too.

Thank you :)