I am running the Victoria Park half marathon in London on the 1st December 2024, whilst also raising money for two charities. The 1st being the University College London Hospitals (UCLH) Charity Cancer Fund & the 2nd Cancer Research UK.

Why am I raising money for the UCLH Charity Cancer Fund and Cancer Research UK?

As you may know my late Dad (Papa Del), Agapito Del Monte, was diagnosed with gastric cancer in November 2022. After his diagnosis he was referred to UCLH for 4 rounds of chemotherapy, surgery to remove the tumour in March 2023 and then a course of radiotherapy. This had a massive impact on how he felt with sleepless nights, loss of appetite, a weakened immune system and an immense effect on his physical and mental wellbeing. However, he still managed to remain positive & the doctors gave him the all clear to go on his long awaited post retirement holiday to the Philippines.

Unfortunately whilst on holiday Dad contracted an infection which he was unable to fight off due to his weakened immune system. He was taken into hospital on the 19th November and from here the infection took over and his body was too weak to fight back. His body started shutting down & as a result he was intubated and sedated on the 23rd November; the day he was supposed to meet his newborn twin grandsons for the first time. After a week and half of some positives but a lot more negatives in terms of his progress, the infection proved to be too much for him and on the 4th December 2023, we as a family sadly said goodbye to him as we held him, told him how much we loved him & assured him it was ok to let go.

I am raising money for the UCLH Charity Cancer Fund, because, I believe that the treatment he received, the help, the support & the care provided to him whilst in hospital allowed us more time with him and allowed him to go and experience being home in the Philippines one last time. For that I am thankful.

At the end of April this year we then received the awful news that Amy’s Dad Norman had been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He started aggressive radiotherapy almost right away, and was due to go onto chemotherapy but was not well enough to ever start the chemo. Unfortunately the cancer was just far too advanced by the time it was discovered and after an extremely short battle with his cancer Norman sadly passed away at home on the 1st July 2024. Thankfully Amy & her siblings Stewart & Lucy did manage a trip over to the US where Norman lived to spend some time with him just before he passed.

So, I am also raising money for Cancer Research UK to help support the hard work & dedication that goes into research in preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer. It goes without saying, every single one of us will know someone who has suffered from this terrible disease. Whether they are loved ones, close friends and families or even your peers and their friends or families.

Over the last 40 years, cancer survival in the UK has doubled. In the 1970s just 1 in 4 people survived their disease for 10 years or more. Today 2 in 4 survive.

Cancer Research’s ambition is to accelerate progress and see 3 in 4 patients surviving the disease by 2034. Let’s try and contribute even a small part to achieving this amazing ambition.

Why Victoria park?

I remember asking how my dad’s day would be going whilst he was going through the treatments and most of the time he would be out on his walks to keep his body moving. My dad loved to walk and would often find himself doing loops around Vicky Park. Because of this I thought a half marathon around Vicky Park which is organised by RunThrough on the 1st December would be befitting of him.

Thank you all so much for visiting my just giving page. I really appreciate your time in reading why I have set this up and thank you for any donations/support/words of encouragement. If you find yourself in London on the 1st December come down for a wonder around the park and shout at me to go faster =)