Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
On Sunday 25 April I ran the London Marathon – in 4 hours 35 minutes – needless to say I struggled to walk afterwards! Yet it was an amazing and surprisingly enjoyable experience.My aim was and is to raise money for research into paediatric brain tumours by the Institute of Cancer Research, based at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton.
Brain tumours are the most common form of solid tumours to present themselves in childhood. The risk for an individual child in Britain of being diagnosed with a cancerous brain or spinal tumour before the age of 15 is 1 child in every 2,200.
As you may know, my four-year-old son, Ioan, was diagnosed in July 2008 with a Stage 4 brain tumour. Thanks to emergency surgery undertaken at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden and six months of high-dose chemotherapy treatment provided by the consultants, doctors and nurses in the Royal Marsden Hospital, Ioan is now, just over a year on, back in nursery and running around enjoying life just like all the other four-year-olds.
The treatment Ioan received was described to us as 'cutting edge' and 'pioneering', and its availability is something for which we are very grateful. However, survival rates for this form of cancer are low and the treatments need to be advanced. And, if Ioan is to need further treatment, we will be looking again at newly developed, experimental treatments, as Ioan's body would not withstand further chemotherapy.
The form of cancer Ioan was diagnosed with is rare and consequently does not attract much funding, so any amount I manage to raise will be truly appreciated.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. 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.
So please dig deep and donate now.
