Hey everyone!

So you are probably all wondering what on earth is Lauren doing running a marathon?!! I agree it is definitely one of my stupider ideas and one I never thought I would ever do or ever have a good enough reason to want to do, but now I really do.

In April last year one of the most incredible people I have had the pleasure of being friends with was stabbed in Edendale, South Africa. He passed away leaving behind his family for whom he was the only breadwinner. Some of you may remember this but I don't think many of you knew how much his passing affected me, so much so that I stupidly signed up to running the London marathon in his memory and to raise money for his family and the charity we both worked for, WhizzKids United.

Khumza was an incredible person, I still find it ridiculously hard to think of him in the past tense, he started as a volunteer with WhizzKids but soon became so indispensible that they had to start paying him! He worked incredibly hard as a Life Skills Trainer and the co-ordinator of the Mixed Gender Football League at the Health Academy where we both worked. He spent much of his spare time helping the young people we worked with through HIV Counselling and Testing, teaching Life Skills, and generally being an incredible role model who was always willing and able to help in any way he could.

There could never be a sad moment when Khumza was around, his smile was infectious and I was so lucky to have had him in my life, he is missed more than you can ever imagine and his memory is certainly what is keeping me going through my training!

I am so grateful to you all for coming to my page and even considering donating to this cause. This is the hardest thing I will ever do and I appreciate any support you can give me, the money I raise will go to helping Khumza's family and particularly his young sister so she can go to school. The rest of the money with go towards helping WhizzKids United continue to do the amazing work that they do in Edendale.

I won't let you down, thank you so much! xx

So please dig deep and donate now.