<p>Thanks for taking the time to visit my page,</p> <p>Whilst training for the 2010 Great North Run I surprised myself by actually learning to enjoy running!&nbsp;On finishing, I immediately wanted to challenge myself over the full marathon distance however I was pretty daunted, not only the amount of running involved but by the fact that the charity fundraising targets for the London Marathon are all so much more than for the Great North Run.</p> <p>I was inspired to take on the challenge to run for Ovarian Cancer Action by my girlfriend's mother, Maura,&nbsp;who&nbsp;very recently&nbsp;lost her&nbsp;brave battle with this disease.&nbsp;Just a few days before she passed away, on March the 27th,&nbsp;I completed&nbsp;the Liverpool Half Marathon&nbsp;in&nbsp;my girlfriend's hometown on the occasion of Maura's wedding anniversary.&nbsp;</p> <p>Cancer treatments are advancing all the time but more money is urgently needed for this, as well as for improving methods of early detection and raising awareness of the symptoms.</p> <p>Ovarian Cancer&nbsp;could affect any of&nbsp;the important women in your life&nbsp;at any time and is currently very difficult to detect at an early stage.</p> <p>Losing such a dear woman who spent her life as a nurse and a mother, caring for others, has made me even more determined to smash my fundraising target in her memory.</p> <p>Please, please could you give generously to this worthy cause,&nbsp;if you could just spare even a quid it would be much appreciated.</p> <p>Thank you all.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>