Why Anthony Nolan? Well firstly, they’re amazing. Anthony Nolan is a charity that saves the lives of people with blood cancer. They match blood stem cells donors to people who desperately need lifesaving transplants. Secondly, they need the funding.  Anthony Nolan has to spend a frightening amount of money on gathering stem cell samples, maintaining its database and matching donors to people with blood cancer. Getting a single person onto the register costs £100, and that's before you factor in the cost of actually advertising what they do and trying to attract new donors. Anthony Nolan is a very worthy cause to donate your blood, money and marathon training to.

On a personal level, my family have been very affected by cancer. Grandparents, uncles, my dad.  When my wonderful Uncle Andrew was diagnosed with leukemia the family discussed a bone marrow transplant, but it was too late. It had spread too far and devastatingly he died. My amazing Uncle Cliff is currently heroically battling both chronic lymphocytic leukemia and liver cancer.  My hero Dad also has also had a recent scare. I'm running for all of them. 

Why run a marathon to fund raise?  It’s a good question. I am not a natural runner, nor a fast one.  I don’t look good in lycra and I don’t go to the gym. Ultimately, when considering my hobbies and athletic ability, I would be far better suited to hosting a bake sale. I love bake sales. But sponsoring people to do things they love is, understandably, less popular and I want to support and raise as much as I can for this incredible charity.  So, in the hope of encouraging sponsorship, I am putting myself through the misery of marathon training in Canada, in winter, like an idiot. With frostbite. But hopefully an idiot who raises some money so the brilliant team at Anthony Nolan can continue and expand their life saving work. 

What will get me through the long hours of training, enforced sobriety and to the finish line? 

I think it will be three things:

1. A wholehearted belief in what Anthony Nolan does,
2. Perseverance and, (get ready for the hard sell)
3. The fear of letting down those that have generously donated. Thank you for the motivation.

Love, Kathy x

More about Anthony Nolan:

Every day, Anthony Nolan saves the lives of people with a blood cancer or blood disorder. They do this by matching incredible individuals willing to donate their stem cells, to people who desperately need a lifesaving transplant. They also carry out cutting edge scientific research, fund specialist post-transplant nurses and support patients and their families through the transplant process and beyond. They won’t stop until they save the lives of everyone who needs a stem cell transplant. Every penny you donate brings them closer to that day.