Like many familys across the world, my own knows only to well the pain of losing someone to cancer. I lost my father John Eddie when I was only 10 and as a wider family we have lost Uncles, Aunts and a Cousin too (not forgeting those currently dealing with cancer). I will be running the 2021 Belfast Virtual Half Marathon in all of their memories on the 1st weekend in May.

I'm running Belfast Marathon day for Cancer Focus NI I will be helping to fund ground breaking research. There have been exciting recent advances in immunology and cancer. Immunotherapy is developing new ways to highlight cancer cells so our own natural immune system can detect, respond and destroy these cells.Recently Immunotherapy has brought very welcomed advances to the treatment of lung cancer and malignant melanoma. This research project would see the advances that immunotherapy has brought to the treatment of these cancers and would be delivered to patients with oesophageal and pancreatic cancers. The overall aim is to develop new treatment options and therefore save lives here in Northern Ireland and eventually way beyond our shores.So this year we ask you to #makeitcount and help us to raise funds for this ground breaking research. Together we will help even more people survive cancer