Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

On 18th October 2009 I am going to be running my first ever half marathon in aid of Trinity Hospice, London. Trinity Hospice is the oldest hospice in UK, founded in 1891 and provides  care for those suffering from long term and terminal illness, either within in the hospice or at their home.

On August 4th 2009, a very close family friend lost her battle with cancer. She fought bravely and with dignity. Although she had initially been diagnosed 8 years ago with malignant melenoma, we all thought she had managed to beat this terrible illness. Sadly though, it returned with vigour in March of this year. The last few weeks of her life were spent at Trinity Hospice and the staff there were unfailing in their support of her and her family. During a very difficult time, the staff at Trinity ensure that both the patients and the families are given every opportunity to achieve the best possible quality of life. This is not only through control of medication, where needed, but also through their care and dedication.

All this is provided free of charge.

This year the hospice needs to raise 7.6m, of which 1/3 comes from the NHS, the rest is down to volutary contributions.

I am sure that almost all of us know someone who has been affected by cancer, and we are therefore aware of how painful, exhausting and unrelenting an illness it is, both for the patients and their families. Hospices, like Trinity provide an absolutely vital support for patients in being able to come to terms with illnesses like cancer, coping through the illness and, for the families of those who have lost their fight against these illnesses,  wonderful and compassionate bereavement support.

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.

Thank you.