About Me

 

Hi, my name is Sam Harvey and I'm a student at the University of Manchester. Participating in an organised run is something I've wanted to do for a long time, and after the recent loss of a friend to cancer, I decided that the Bupa Great Manchester Run 2013 would be an amazing opportunity to raise money for something that affects so many people around the world.

Suzunosuke Kubota (1994–2013)

 

On 30 January 2013, my friend Suzu lost his long battle with cancer. He was just 18 years old.

I met Suzu in 2011, when he visited Wales through my school's exchange programme with his high school in Osaka, Japan. We saw each other again a year later when I visited Japan. In 10 of the best days of my life, we were able to get to know one another quite well. At the time Suzu had undergone extensive treatment for his cancer, which had returned, and some of the physical effects were evident. However, his kind, gentle personality never faltered. He smiled and laughed a lot, he loved good food and cooking and practising kendo, and most of all he enjoyed sharing experiences with the people he loved.

We kept in touch after I came back from Japan. Suzu liked to talk about the things that made him happy. However, his condition deteriorated further during the latter half of 2012. He was always very open about his health and his treatment, and took the trouble to let his friends know what was happening even when he was left weakened by radiotherapy. Suzu knew there was a good chance he wouldn't survive and, unfortunately, despite the best efforts of doctors, he succumbed to Ewing's sarcoma, a rare cancer that affects children and young adults. His positive outlook in the face of adversity was truly inspiring. He will be missed.

Suzu wanted to help cancer patients all over the world. Before his death, he helped publicize the cause of cancer patients through campaigns and the media in Japan. I would like to honour Suzu's memory by dedicating this run to him. Please be part of the legacy that helps fulfil his dream.

Rest in peace, Suzu.

Why Cancer Research UK?

According to the World Health Organisation, in 2008, 7.6 million people died worldwide from cancer. That's 13% of all deaths worldwide. They also estimate that 30% of cancers could be cured if detected early and treated adequately. Cancer Research UK is a charity that is dedicated to beating cancer through research; something that affects one in three people during their lives. For more information about Cancer Research UK, please click here to visit their website.

 

Please Donate!

 

This is the first time I've done any serious fundraising, so I have no idea how much money we can raise. But however much we do manage to raise will contribute to changing people’s lives for the better, and the more we raise the more of a difference we can make. So please, please, please click the purple "Donate" button and give – ANY amount you can give is going to help!

About JustGiving

 

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 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.

So please dig deep and donate now.

Thank you, everybody!