We are running the London Marathon in April 2025! I applied for two places through Macmillan Cancer Support as a surprise to Katie. It’s always been on our bucket list to run a marathon together and after Katie sadly lost her Mum, Carol to leukaemia in August this year, it felt like the right time to get fit, train our arses off and run it in Carol’s honour.

Carol fought leukaemia on and off for 8 years and, in spite of everything that was thrown her way, she stayed incredibly positive. Even on receiving a terminal diagnosis in May, she turned to her family and said “I’d love to prove everyone wrong”. Her attitude was inspirational throughout her journey.

In her final couple of weeks at West Suffolk Hospital, she was moved to a huge room on The Macmillan Unit, with doors leading out into a beautiful garden. This meant she could be reunited with her dog, Fern, after a month apart, and she could watch her grandson, Isaac play in the sunshine.

In her final few days, a live-in nurse made it possible for Carol to be at home surrounded by her friends and family, providing compassionate and kind care. Knowing how much of a difference these things made to Carol, her family want others going through end of life care, to be able to have access to similar services, which raising money for MacMillan will make possible.

Katie will also be running in memory of Joan (her husband’s grandmother), a remarkable woman who cared deeply for others and who made a difference in people’s lives. Joan died recently from cancer, but she wanted to support this fantastic cause.

With Cancer affecting nearly 3 million of us in the UK, I’m sure many of you will have a personal connection to this cruel disease. In the recent words of The Princess of Wales… “To all those who are continuing their own cancer journey, we remain with you, side by side, hand in hand, out of darkness can come light, so let that light shine bright”

Thanks for supporting our fundraising. Macmillan gives people with cancer everything they’ve got. If you’re diagnosed, your worries are Macmillan’s worries. Macmillan’s doing whatever it takes. But without your help, Macmillan can’t support everyone who needs them.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and secure. Your details are safe, JustGiving - they'll never sell them or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs.