I have been running for many years. I am not fast or a person who enters loads of races but more of a social runner who uses it as a way to stay healthy. I have run a few half marathons and 10ks but never yet run a marathon. I have always said that the only marathon I would ever commit to training for would be London. I have entered the ballot for many years but never been successful. I decided that perhaps the best way for me to get to be part of such an iconic race was to run it for charity. Once I had decided that there was no question as to which charity I would like to run for, The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust.

My best friend (of way more years then I am prepared to admit) was unlucky enough to experience an ectopic pregnancy. She had to have a three day stay in hospital where she had a drip in her arm and was not allowed to eat or drink anything during that period as they were afraid she may need to undergo emergency surgery. Not only did she have to deal with the emotional impact of losing her baby, and needing life saving treatment she was also left with concerns about any future pregnancies. I was so worried that I could lose my fantastic friend.

Until that point I had heard of ectopic pregnancies but had no clue that this potentially life-threatening condition affects 1 in 80 pregnancies. It occurs when an embryo grows outside of the womb. The EPT believes that the deaths and trauma associated with ectopic pregnancy should be prevented. It is a leading cause of maternal death in early pregnancy and sadly the numbers are increasing.

Thankfully my best mate has gone on to have two fantastic daughters and now works tirelessly to raise awareness of this condition. She received a lot of support from The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust and became a volunteer for them. She is now a training coordinator for them, providing free training to healthcare professionals. Her desire is to try to prevent any woman from losing their life to ectopic pregnancy.

Every resource/talk/leaflet is free from The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust which is why they rely so heavily on charitable donations.

Thank you so much for sticking with me to read all that. I would be so grateful for any donation you can make and please know that every penny will be spent trying to raise awareness and supporting women and families when they need it the most.