**UPDATE** 19.03.24 I ran the half on Sunday, and I jogged accross the finish line. There were moments when I thought I would not finish, but having a t shirt spelling out my situation 'Missing: 1/2 a lung and 2 vertebrae' meant I got a lot of support by other runners, and John and Jen bumping into me around 17km was a perfectly timed fuel booster! After I finished I immediately had a lovely hug with my two boys and I could see in their eyes that this meant something to them. I had taught them an important life lesson that you need to keep on moving even when it's hard to believe there is a finish line to the difficult times. I also want to thank every single one of you for sponsoring me, encouraging me, and giving an extra value to my story by listening.

**UPDATE** 17.02.24 Blimey, I am overwhelmed by all your generosity. I don't want to keep putting the target up as it feels wrong. We have surpassed my target and I thank you. Anything else is an unexpected and pleasant bonus!

**UPDATE** 16.02.24 I cannot believe we made the £500 target. Thank you. I am not really sure how this all goes, I have increased it to £750 and hope we get there!

**UPDATE** 16.02.24 Thank you all for smashing my target. I am genuinely touched by the support. Just for clarification, I am running the half-marathon not the full marathon. I am not sure that I could do that... yet :-)

In May 2020, amidst the world's health crises, I had my own personal one. I was initially diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome, which meant a massive increase in cortisol in my body. I lived in an incredibly scary hyper-reality, as did my family. A reality I lived in for a year before being diagnosed. The cause I was told was terminal small cell lung cancer. During that summer I received 5 rounds of chemotherapy every three weeks that sucked the soul out of me.

During this time my osteoporosis was undiagnosed and my spine collapsed. It all meant I was unable to walk properly or far. In October 2020, partly due to the will of friends, my diagnosis was reinvestigated and changed. My new diagnosis was a neuroendocrine tumour in my lung with a much better survivability rate. In January 2021, my upper left lung was removed. I now needed to recover.

I have always been a keen runner, but with all this happening I did not think I would ever be able to walk properly again let alone run. On one day in late 2022, with no confidence in my heart, I decided to go for a jog, and then slowly the block I ran became a little bigger. About 10 months ago I decided, maybe foolishly, that I wanted to do the liverpool half marathon in 2024. A full 5 years since my last one. I needed a goal. It has taken a lot of time to get comfortable running again, but I can do it.

It is a big deal for me psychologically and physically to be able to do something, which in those darkest months I would never have thought was possible. For two years after 2020, whenever I saw a runner I had a deep sadness. Turning 50 two weeks earlier makes this an even greater symbolic moment; a great stepping stone into a bright future, where there was once none!

I hope in some way, my story can be an inspiration to people suffering similar fates, on a similar journey, but a few stages earlier than me and need to see something brighter up ahead on their journey.

I would like to do this for two charities connected deeply to my diagnoses. First, the Pituitary Foundation UK for supporting people with Cushing's. It is an incredibly horrible condition that rarely is diagnosed and people suffer far greater and far longer than I did. For more information visit: https://www.pituitary.org.uk/.

Second, I am raising for the Neuroendocrine Cancer organisation that provides support for people with the same cancer I had. It is an equally rare illness and more awareness is needed. For more information visit: https://www.neuroendocrinecancer.org.uk/.

I could not have survived without the support of my partner, friends, family, and conversations with people in similar situations.

Please could you consider sponsoring me to do this run so that I can fund both of these worthwhile organisations. Please choose either one or both to donate.

Thank you, Matt