I am raising money for SSNAP, a local charity which supports the sick newborn and their parents at the Special Care Baby Unit in the JR hospital in Oxford.

This is a charity very close to my heart as my little sister, Emily Kate Goodway, spent a short time in the special care unit. Emily was born prematurely at 33 weeks on 2nd March 1987, Mum's birthday, my 7th birthday was the day before.

Sadly, Emily died two days later. I remember visiting her with my sister Sarah who was five.

I also fondly remember one of the nurses from the unit driving Mum and Dad home because their car wouldn't start, she sat doing fuzzy felt with Sarah and me. A nurse in the unit kindly took a Polaroid photo of Emily. Mum and Dad still have the photo in its perspex frame.

I want to take this opportunity to raise funds in Emily's memory and to help other families who face similar experiences.

As I write this, I have never run more than 13km, I am 4 weeks into a 16-week training plan which I'm determined to stick to. I am so grateful to my running support crew, Michelle, Sabrena and to Hook Norton Harriers. To my husband Steve for encouraging me and giving up his own running time to allow me to run. To my Mum for agreeing to look after the children while Steve is at work, allowing me to achieve my training plan.

I'm so grateful for my amazing work colleagues at Alloyed Ltd for their encouragement and support, for my Tribus friends at Spit n Sawdust gym for always believing in me, to my friends and family and to my amazing therapist Kath - without her, I'd not be mentally in a place to even take this on.

With thanks to Hook Norton Harriers for the opportunity to run the club place in the London Marathon.

A little more about the charity - SSNAP support sick newborn, their parents and those that care for them; by providing emotional, medical, financial and informational support. SSNAP was founded in 1982 and has supported the Newborn Care Unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital ever since. The unit can care for up to 56 babies at any one time and is a Level 3 Centre, the most sick and premature babies from across the Thames Valley, are looked after here in Oxford.