If you are a parent or have nephews or nieces . . . . pause and IMAGINE what it must have been like for Mark and Claire O'Connor and family to come home one day and find that their 14-year old daughter, Aoife, had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.  How long she would have was not clear but the chances of recovery were very slim indeed.  How would you deal with this?  What would you do?  It happened to Mark but could have happened to any of us.  So hard to imagine how we might have dealt with the news.
Mark and family were very fortunate to have the support of the Brain Tumour Charity Trust at an exceptionally difficult time.  The experience and support that the charity was able to provide was invaluable to everyone coming to terms with an impossible situation.  Whilst ultimately little could be done medically, the O'Connor family and friends were at least able to ensure that the last few months of Aoife's life were as comfortable as possible.

I have decided to run in a number of events this year to raise money for this exceptional charity and my first event is the 20KM race in Brussels on 26th May.  Thereafter, together with 75 Serco colleagues, I am running the 10KM London Race on 15th July and then finally on 20th October I will run the Birmingham Half Marathon.

Can I please therefore as you to give very generously.  This is a fantastic charity which went some way to making the O'Connor's suffering bearable and it is so important others who might find themselves in a similar position can also benefit. I know Mark and Claire are doing everything they can to 1) raise awareness of this dreadful disease and 2) bringing people together to help other families in this terrible situation.  

Many thanks

Richard