Recently I became a statistic. I became one of those people who has been affected by cancer.  Not directly, but through family and friends.  They say losing someone makes you look at yourself, your life  and those around you.  On a miserable wet weekend in February I decided to do just that.  I decided I was going make a change.  Overweight, miserable and unable to run up the stairs I decided I was going to learn how to run.  But not only run, I was going to do a race, a race bigger than I ever thought possible, so entered the 10 mile Great South Run.  I got a trainer,  a fantastic guy called Paul Laslett of Brightside Personal Training with the patience of a saint.  Through sheer handwork, stuboness, determination and an awful lot of sweat I can now run!  From looking like a cross between an ungraceful rhino and a fridge freezer at the start of my journey to now being able to run 5-6 miles at the drop of a hat.  I am officially a runner!

My journey is not just for me, its for everyone who has been touched by the evil hand of cancer.  Its for Peter Hessom, my uncle, mentor when I was starting my life at work, the person I looked up to, marvelled at his success and knowledge.  Taken by cancer this year.  To Jo Wright, the fun loving, happy, smiling funny woman.  Taken by the 'evil bitch' ovarian cancer.  My dear friend Josephine Reynolds, a wallflower, the nice one, the reliable one, the trustworthy one, the one you said 'not Josephine, not cancer!'  Well she fought, she fought with everything she had, and she was one of the few lucky ones.  She beat it.  One of the strongest, bravest people I've ever met.  Im doing this for them, their families and everyone else affected by 'the big C'.  

In my time I've probably sponsored you, your partner, your children, your company and I've never asked for a penny.  Well now dear friend its payback time.  I don't care how much the amount is, 1p - £1,000, just give what you can afford.  If when donating you remember someone you've lost or has been touched by 'the evil hand of C', leave their name in the comment box and the run will be for them too and I will add them to my list.

Thank you, thank you, thank you from me and everyone on my list.

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