Thanks for visiting my fundraising page with me running the 2010 Virgin London Marathon in memory of my mother, Merrilyn Minter.

Below is a copy of the letter I wrote as a part of my application to gain entry into the race. I have included this so you can have an insight and understanding of what I am doing and why, plus my motivation for raising funds for what I believe to be a very worthwhile charity.

It's a bit of a novel but please read on.....

"I would like to be considered for a golden bond because...

The reason I would like to run for Breast Cancer Campaign in the 2010 London Marathon is to honour the memory of my mother, Merrilyn Minter, who passed away in June 2008 as a result of cancer. I would also like to help in raising funds for research and treatment of cancer in the hope that one day others do not have the experienceof losing their loved ones to this awful disease.

My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer on 13th May 2005. It was naturally a huge shock to me and my family, but it also opened up my eyes to the widespread nature of the disease. Once I started talking to friends about the fact my mum had recently been diagnosed with cancer, I would hear similar stories of friends and relatives, or their friends that had been touched in some way or affected by cancer.

By mid 1997 I had made the decision to come to London to pursue work and travel opportunities. Despite my mum's ongoing cancer treatment and the uncertain future that that caused, my mum gave me her wholehearted blessing on the life path I had chosen.

One of the things I talked about with my parents before I left was my long standing goal of running a marathon. So sure enough, as soon as I arrived in London, I started receiving newspaper cut-outs etc from newspapers back home of anything marathon related from mum. That's the type of thing mum would always do. Unfortunately that didn't last for long as mum had a night of seizures 3 months after I arrived in London and was diagnosed with 4 brain tumors where the initial breast cancer had sprerad once again after previously also making it to her lymph nodes, lungs and kidneys. I flew back to Australia for the operation where 2 of the tumors were removed. Although she was excited and happy to see me she also told me that I shouldn't have worried about coming back becasue she didn't want me to miss out on what I was doing here in London and miss the travel I was about to do.

Both before and after the brain operation mum had been having unbearable pain in her arm from the spread of cancer. My sister told me in one of our many long distance phone calls during this period something that will stay with me forever. It was of a home visit mum had had from a palliative care counselor who when getting mum to assess the pain in her arm on a scale of 1 to 10, she asked for a comparison between childbirth and the pain in her arm. Mum responded with "childbirth would probably be a 7-8, this pain would easily be a 9". I cannot even comprehend what it would be like to be in that kind of pain 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with nothing the strongest drugs around could do to help, and no way of escaping it. It is beyond belief.

Every time I go for a run I think of this. As every time I go for a run at some stage I get very tired or am in some sort of pain, I 'think' I am hurting...but in the whole scheme of things it is nothing compared to what so many people, such as mum, have experienced when battling such diseases as cancer.

As I write this, it is now just over 12 months ago that I made a hastily arranged flight back from London to my hometown of Newcastle (Australia) after the news from home that my mum could pass away at any moment after her 3 year fight with cancer. I made it home to see my mother one last time at 2am in the morning shortly after I had landed in the country. As my father and I were preparing to go back to the hospice to visit again in the morning, we received the call that mum had passed away. The date was 13th June 2008.

I feel as though I should write much more, but to be honest, this has taken 4 to 5 sittings to write this much as I struggle to get any further than a paragraph or two without the emotion becoming a little too much for me so I will finish with one last little note.

I would love nothing more that enduring some 'pain' while I pound the pavement in training and again on race day, in the hope that I can contribute to easing the pain and suffering  of others by supporting a most worthwhile cause. I cannot wait to run as a member of the Jigsaw Runners in the Virgin London Marathon 2010."

Thank you again for taking the time to visit this page and for reading my story. And thanking you in advance for all your personal and financial support!

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Breast Cancer Campaign gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now!