Thank you for visiting my fundraising page.

25/09/2007 - I've lifted the bar! Let's smash £2000.00!!!!!!

WE DID IT!! On Sunday 16th September I ran the Experian Robin Hood Marathon in aid of Pancreatic Cancer UK and in memory of my Step-Mother Jill who died suddenly last December from Pancreatic Cancer. My friend Alex Hardy and myself cross the line in 4 HOURS and 43 MINS. Ben Jardine complete the half in 1 HOUR and 38MINS. Photos to follow.

My wife, Claire, and my young daughters, Phoebe and Lola, had a great time taking part in the fun run; along with her nana Linda and Auntie Elisha and little Cousin JJ. Lola will had a slight advantage over mummy and big sister as she is only four months old and was in her pram! The atmosphere on the day was fantastic, well done everyone. A well organised event.

IT IS STILL NOT TO LATE TO SPONSOR - YOU CAN DONATE NOW IN PEACE OF MIND THAT I HAVE GENUINELY WORKED MY SOCKS OFF!

Much loved by family and friends, Jill was a very popular face about Nottingham with many years service for Nottingham CIty Transport, as well as extensive time in the Pub trade. She is missed by many.

It probably reads strange that someone died "suddenly" from Cancer, but as far as we were all concerned it really sums up how hard to diagnose and how tough to cure this disease really is.

Jill seemed pretty well at the time of my wedding (late October), she was a little under the weather and put it down to a cold bug. A visit to the Doctor suggested she was perhaps depressed. She had a little niggle in her leg and nothing else to report.

A week or so after my honeymoon she was taken ill from work with a suspected blood clot in the leg. She was prescribed some drugs to stop the clot from moving, deep vein thrombosis was on the cards and Jill went home to await further consultation.

She went to the doctors three weeks later, a Monday tea-time to have a bit of a moan that she was still struggling with it and will they do anything to sort the clot out. She took a turn for the worse on the way home from the doctors and by the evening was taken into hospital.

By Wednesday morning we realised that it was perhaps something much more serious, and on Thursday we knew it was Cancer and it was well developed. We went into the weekend knowing that Jill had very little time left with us, and a week later - Saturday 9th December - Jill died.

This is as much about awareness as it is raising funds. Pancreatic Cancer is the 6th most common cause of cancer death in the UK, and has the lowest survival rate. Let's be honest about it, - the Pancreas is the Liechtenstein of bodily organs, nobody really knows where it is, only that it must be hiding somewhere near Germany (your liver). And it is this that goes towards making it so hard to diagnose.

The pancreas helps to digest your food and also produces insulin which balances the sugar level in the blood. It is behind the stomach and shaped like a tadpole.

Early symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer can include : Sickness, Bowel Disturbances, Diabetes (especially sudden development in the over 50's), Jaundice, Skin Itching.

Later signs include: Loss of appetite, weight loss, depression, unexplained blood clots. It is often unfortunately too late by this point... by the time Jill's cancer had been diagnosed the pancreas had packed up working and the cancer had spread through into the liver.

Please sponsor Alex, Ben and myself for the Experian Robin Hood Marathons, and help spread awareness for this devastating form of Cancer. I am planning further fund raising events in the forthcoming months so please send this page on to anyone you know...

COME ON, THIS TOTAL SO FAR DOESN'T INCLUDE ALEX AND BEN'S MONEY SO PLEASE KEEP IT COMING!!!

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Pancreatic Cancer UK will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

Many thanks for your support.

Ian

For pictures of Alex and me running the full marathon visit - Marathon1 and Marathon2

For more information on Pancreatic Cancer please visit http://www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk/

To find out more about Experian Robin Hood Marathon and find the official results see http://www.experianfestivalofrunning.co.uk/

To hear some of the audio diaries I recorded for BBC Radio Nottingham visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/content/articles/2007/09/06/runners_stories_2007_feature.shtml

Some tributes to Jill - sadly missed by her family and friends - see newspaper tributes