When my Mum was diagnosed with a Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma, both she and I were understandably very frightened about what lay ahead of us. What we needed was information so that we could understand the diagnosis, and support from people who knew what we were going through.

Lymphoma Action has a strategy that aims to inform, support and connect with those affected - be it as the patient or as a family member who will be heavily involved in any treatment plans. Lymphoma Action wants to be a voice for people affected - these are all goals that resonate so strongly with me since the experience that my Mum had, and I feel I want to do something to help.

My Mum was of the generation that didn’t like to complain about feeling unwell and always felt that she was being a bother by calling a GP. Mum had probably been feeling unwell for a while before she sought help from her Doctor. Some of the symptoms she was experiencing were fairly non-specific and could be attributed to getting older - and she brushed them aside. She was extremely short of breath and unable to walk more than a few paces at a time. She was often feeling very hot, sweating profusely at night and having dizzy spells too - nothing that made her think she may have some kind of Cancer.

It was the shortness of breath and inability to walk that bothered her most - she was always very active and it turns out that her lungs were filling with fluid. She was admitted to our local A&E on several occasions due to pleural effusion. Each time, more than a litre of fluid was drained from her lungs - not a pleasant experience. This was to be a side effect of the Lymphoma until her Chemotherapy treatment commenced.

Good information and support is so vital at this stage. Even though my Mum was reluctant to hear too much, as the person who would be attending her hospital appointments and treatment sessions with her, I really needed to know what to expect so that I could take the stress of dealing with the situation away from my Mum so that she could just focus on getting better. Knowing what type of Chemotherapy she would have (R-CHOP) and the likely side effects, really helped me to prepare in so many ways. Mum’s Lymphoma was stage 4 and very aggressive but it responded so very well to her treatment and she did get the ‘all clear’ 5 years later.

The London Marathon is one of the largest annual single day fundraising events and this is a golden opportunity to raise funds for a charity whose aims speak volumes to me and I've been inspired to raise as much as I can for Lymphoma Action.

Running this marathon will give me a great sense of purpose as I work through my training. I'm sure it will be a life affirming and uplifting experience - even if I do have a lot of explaining to do to my knees and back! It's a fantastic way to make a difference for a cause close to my heart which will actually help real people and change lives.

Lymphoma Action are the UK's only charity dedicated to lymphoma, the 5th most common cancer. They've been providing trusted information and support for over 35 years, helping thousands of people affected by lymphoma.

Their mission is to make sure no one faces lymphoma alone.

I want to be able to spread the word about information and support that is available to all who may be suffering from ,or supporting someone with Lymphoma. The more resources that are available, the bigger the impact.

I want to thank Lymphoma Action for the opportunity and I'm really looking forward to race day.