UPDATE: 

I (Nick) will be doing the London Marathon on April 22nd 2012- Look out for me in an orange running vest if you'll be watching it! 

Nearly a year ago I entered on a whim and managed to get a place in the ballot. However we decided there wasn't time to do the training in addition to Ruth's treatment, and that I might have to forgo my place. As it turns out, it's been a good thing for me to focus on since Ruth's death. Training is going well, and I'm really looking forward to the big day.  I'm also doing the Liverpool Half Marathon on March 18th as part of my training.

I've confirmed that there is research planned within the oncology/haematology department at Alder Hey Hospital that would benefit greatly from this vital funding. Donations will be directly funding research, without any of the fundraising costs associated with larger charities (other than the small justgiving fee), and any benefits from the research could benefit Leukemia and other cancer patients worldwide, so please dig deep! (The £5000 target on this page is fairly arbitrary- let's smash this target!)

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

Our daughter, Ruth, was diagnosed with Leukemia in April 2010, aged just 17 months.  Her journey through treatment was a times a very tough one, ending with her death at Alder Hey hospital, Liverpool, on 17th January 2012 aged 3 years old. 

However her life also brought great joy. She had the most beautiful smile, a love of all those things that little girls enjoy, and a courage and wisdom beyond her years. Better still, she is now in heaven, where there is 'no more death or mourning or crying or pain'.

She was great sister to Emily (4) and Felicity (1), and will be greatly missed, not just by us, but by all those whose lives she touched.  

People have been generously asking where they can donate money in Ruth's memory, and Julia and I both feel that the Alder Hey Imagine Appeal is an ideal place to collect this money, allowing us to direct funds towards leukemia research within the hospital, and also towards equipping the wards where Ruth spent so much of her time. 

So, thank you for visiting this page, and please consider donating. 

With Love

Nick and Julia Radcliffe

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 and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.