A big HELLO to you

You are now looking at my fund raising page for my Derby 10k CHALLENGE. I call it a challenge as that is what it will be.

I shall be running in aid of a little-known cancer called 'Neuroblastoma'. Neuroblastoma is a rare and aggressive childhood cancer. About a hundred children in the UK are diagnosed each year (a more in depth explanation of this disease is included below).

There are many reasons for me taking part in this challenge, the main one being I got back in contact with an old school friend named Lynsey Ironmonger (formerly 'Hughes'). After sending many emails, catching up on things, she touched on quite an upsetting experience. Her niece, Samantha Hughes, only a couple of months previous had lost her heroic battle with Neuroblastoma. This was devastating for Lynsey and her entire family.

This got me thinking. I immediately wanted to help, but how? Then it all fell in place... I had put on weight and lost muscle largely down to me suffering with testicular cancer a while ago, so I needed to get back in shape, I had previously never done anything positively life changing and had never tried helping others in a way I thought worthy of acknowledgment... but the main reason being... a friend of mine is passionate about something she holds dear... and I want to help.

So, an event and indeed a goal was needed... The Derby 10k Marathon it is!!

Between now and April 19th, I have to lose weight as part of my training, while keeping ankle pains away. So Owen James of 'All for You' has got his work cut out - BIGTIME!! The aim is to get all the way around WITHOUT STOPPING for a breather, if I don't do this, I shall do some kind of forfeit... any suggestions??

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It's also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Georgie's Fund 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!

Lee
(o:

What is neuroblastoma?

Neuroblastoma is a tumour arising from particular nerve cells, which run in a chain-like fashion up the back of the child's abdomen and chest and into the skull following the line of the spinal cord (neuro = nerve, blastoma = collection of tumour cells). The tumour occurs either in the sympathetic nervous system or closely associated adrenal glands and is usually, although not always, located in the abdomen.

Because the symptoms of the disease tend to be varied and vague, some two-thirds of children are not diagnosed until the disease is widespread. It is a tumour almost exclusively of childhood and there is no exactly comparable tumour in an adult.

It has its own specialist treatment that is different from any treatment undergone by anyone else you know who has had cancer. Despite intensive courses of chemotherapy and often intial success in treating the disease, the child often relapses, making this one of the most lethal of all childhood cancers.