Having never run 10km before I have... rather optimistically (!)... entered the Plymouth 10km on 14th May, followed by the Burrator 10km on 3rd June, and one week later, the Plymouth Race for Life 5km on Sunday 11th!

Unlike my Dad I'm not a natural runner - I'm still waiting for the activation of that gene! Maybe this is my time?!  ....but I will be running 25km over the course of a month in order to try to raise money and awareness for Brain Tumour Research, a charity that prioritises research which is the only thing that can lead to better treatment options and outcomes for loved ones.

As most of you know, raising money for Brain Tumour Research means a great deal to me. Brain tumours are supposedly rare, but we lost James and my Nanny Joy to them, and know of other friends and acquaintances who have walked or are walking on similar paths. There are over 130 different types of brain tumours and some, like Glioblastoma (GBM) are notoriously resistant to treatments, invading nearby cells, resisting chemotherapies, and changing people's lives in-between. 

For James this meant seeking emerging experimental immunotherapies over in Germany and many people supported us in getting there for which I am always grateful. Although we lost James  this does not mean that the personalised therapy didn't work, it simply means more research is needed to increase novel treatments and their effectiveness. 

Research into brain tumours has not moved on for years due to the lack of funding it receives compared to other cancers. This isn't about giving less to them, but it is about giving more to BTR so that we can change the statistics:

• Only 12% of brain tumour patients survive beyond five years of their diagnosis 
• Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer
• Brain tumour patients and their families face a £11,081 net loss of income

In October last year we were lucky enough to be invited to tour the Brain Tumour Research lab at their Centre of Excellence at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth. This was a fascinating experience and it was was hugely rewarding to see the valuable work going on first-hand and several of the researchers explained their pioneering work to us. We even got to look at the tumour cells under the microscope.

It costs £2740 to fund one day of research at the Brain Tumour Centres of Excellence labs (https://www.braintumourresearch.org/research/centres-of-excellence). I am hoping to raise as much as possible towards this, aiming initially for 10% £274.

If you feel you can help me to power through this years' Easter Eggs to accomplish the miles, have a Rocky montage moment, and raise valuable funds for this brilliant charity I would be so grateful!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. 

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.