I am actually not running for the memory of someone thankfully, I am running in the hope that we can reduce the memories that this cancer unfortunately creates. 

Mid-October 2022, I became a statistic. Yes, I got Bowel Cancer.

48-year-old, who had just run the Sydney Marathon a week earlier, and I am sitting in the garden having dinner with my wife and kids and had a stomach pain and that night had blood as I went to the bathroom. My wife suggested I go to the Doctor, but I just thought it was indigestion. The following day, I caught up for a coffee with two mates and they told me to stop being an idiot and go to the Dr. 

The Dr referred me for a colonoscopy.

1 month after I had finished the Sydney Marathon, I sat in a Dr’s office with my wife and was told I had a large lump in my bowel. 

2 months after I had completed the Marathon, I was having the lump cut out of my bowel. 

3.5 months after the Marathon, on Jan 2, 2023, I started Chemotherapy and 30th March 2023 I took my last tablet. 

Early June I got the first (of many hopefully) all clears, so now looking forward.

However come December 2023, I got a call from my oncologist to say my blood results had an issue and a scan a few days later confirmed the cancer had spread to my liver.

So early January 2024, I was in hospital again having 70% of my liver removed and 3 days in ICU and a few days on the ward and I was home again to start 6 months of chemo.

That finished in July 2024 and I’m back, looking to achieve my goal on running London.

A life changing event happened that quick. It can happen to anyone and 99% of cases can be treated successfully if found early, but under 50% of cases are found early. Enough for successful treatment. 

I’ll be 50 in May 2024, and my dream was always to run the London Marathon, as almost 10 years before my family watched my older brother, Tony, and we had such a great day, so I’m not going to let this stop me and thankfully Bowel Cancer UK heard my story and decided to offer me a charity spot and have been kind enough to allow me to defer to 2025.

My nephew Lou ran London Marathon in 2024 and kindly offered to run on behalf of Bowel Cancer and has contributed significantly to the fund raising total.

I am lucky, I am younger and was fitter (not sure that is true now, as no one told me how much weight you put on through Chemo 😂). I have an incredibly supportive network of friends both in Sydney and London and of course my wife Alison and children Matt and Lily. I get all the attention and sympathy but it’s not easy for the people who have to deal with someone going through chemotherapy day to day, as many of you will know, so spare a thought for them who have taken it all in their stride and allowed me to have my weekend afternoon sleep (I’m wondering how long I can string that out for!)

Last shout out to Paul and Phil, the two mates who forced me to go to the Dr.

So here is your checklist:

1. Check out the stats below.

2. Register for a screening kit, either in England or Australia.

3. Send this link to a mate so they register to get a screening kit.

4. Click the Donate now to send some $ or GBP

Remember 99% of cases can be treated successfully if found early, but under 50% of cases are.

Symptoms of bowel cancer can include:

Bleeding from your bottom and/or blood in your poo.A persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit.Unexplained weight loss. Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason. A pain or lump in your tummyUK Facts:Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK with 1 in 15 UK males and 1 in 18 UK females being diagnosed with Bowel Cancer in their lifetime.Register for a Screening Kit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bowel-cancer-screening-programme-overviewAUS Facts: Bowel cancer is the third most common type of newly diagnosed cancer in Australia and is the 2nd deadliest cancer in Australia behind Lung Cancer, with 54% of people diagnosed Men, and 46% women, so it doesn’t discriminate.300 Australians are told they have bowel cancer each week, with 10% under the age of 50.Bowel cancer claims the lives of 103 people a week.Register for a Screening Kit: https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/national-bowel-cancer-screening-program/doing-a-bowel-screening-test