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This year I celebrate a notable birthday. I have had ample time to fret about how to mark the occasion, and eventually I decided to run 50 km to raise money for two charities that are important to Judith, me and the children. Below I have profiled the little known Circulation Foundation, and explained why the family and I unanimously chose to support it. And on this page I have explained why we are raising money for one of our local charities, the Royal Hospital Chelsea as well.
Charity begins at home, and though not ‘local’ in the same sense, the Circulation Foundation is close to home nonetheless. Let me tell you why.
The Circulation Foundation
By the end of September 2007, exactly four years before I will put my running shoes on and set off to raise money, Judith was at her wits’ end. She was constantly tired, and felt bloated and ill. She had had a terrifying collapse while out walking in Scotland over the Summer, and no-one could see what was wrong. Eventually, acting on an educated hunch her GP (and mine) Michael Evans, sent her to see a specialist, Ian Franklin at the Charing Cross Hospital.
Mr Franklin listened patiently to her catalogue of symptoms, then had to excuse himself to go and say goodnight to the nurses on duty. He was gone a long time. I joked with Judith that I bet he was finding a bed for her for the night. He was. And he performed an emergency operation to address an advanced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (a ‘Triple A’) the next day. Judith’s aorta, the principal artery leading from the heart, had expanded so greatly that it was now gossamer thin. “A day or two later, and it would have ruptured” said Ian Franklin. A rupture is generally a death sentence; the chance of surviving one is 10%. With their insight, and their immediate action, between them Michael Evans and Ian Franklin undoubtedly saved Judith’s life.
Later, as life calmed down, it became apparent that the cause of Judith’s Triple A was a mystery. There were no genetic factors, no broader vascular complications. Maybe a freak occurrence, they concluded. Triple As occur most commonly in individuals between 65 and 75 years old and are more common among men, and smokers, says Wikipedia. Judith was miles off each of these risk factors, making her case almost unique, and Michael Evans’ insight all the more exceptional.
The Circulation Foundation is the UK’s leading vascular disease charity. It provides support and information for families affected, and researches the causes, prevention and treatment of vascular disease. You can read more about the charity and its work here. Ian Franklin has recently taken over as the charity’s Chairman. He has earned our eternal gratitude, so I ask you to support him and the Foundation on our behalf. Thank you!
What I am doing to justify asking for your donation
While battling the brain tumour that killed him aged 39 a couple of years ago, my brother-in-law Nial ran a 10km road race in 50 minutes. Inspired by this feat, I will run five 10km races in 50 minutes each on five consecutive days, so 50 km in total, on September 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th , and on my birthday itself, October 1st.
- run 1: 27th September
- run 2: 28th September
- run 3: 29th September
- run 4: 30th September
- run 5: 1st October (and here)
This 50 km will take me in stages from where we live in West London to Tilbury Fort, at the mouth of the Thames. Tilbury Fort is an English Heritage site, built to defend London from attack from the sea, particularly during the Spanish Armada. Faced with this terrible threat, Tilbury is where Queen Elizabeth I delivered her famous speech on August 8th 1588: “I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a King of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any Prince of Europe should dare to invade the borders of my realm”. The English Heritage page is here, the wiki page here, and a good history page here. It’s a fine sentiment, even 423 years later, and worth trying to get fit for!
About JustGiving
You probably know this bit. Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted e-mails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity. Please dig deep and donate to one – or both – of our chosen charities now. Thank you!
