My girls and I (and our alter egos naturally) are doing the Race for Life on behalf of Julie Robinson (Mi Julie) who has shown true courage and determination in her fight against bladder cancer.

Now, first of all there are a few things you need to know about Julie – firstly she is the mother of my friend Sherrie but she is definitely one of the girls. She’s the type of lady that will happily join in the banter and debauchery of a typical night out so fantastically that you don’t feel like you’re drinking with your friend’s mum – she’s just one of the girls. Her house is reminiscent of the Walton household, she fosters children that need love and guidance and incorporates them into her family – so much so that they remain part of the Robinson clan even after they have left the foster system, she truly becomes their mum. Julie’s definitely a yummy mummy, a lady that always strives to look glamorous and gorgeous on all occasions. As an entrepreneur and a successful businesswoman, Julie is the landlady of The Ship pubic house in Richmond, my Dad’s favourite watering hole – and anyone that can keep him happy by providing beer on tap deserves a commendation in my mind! In all seriousness, she’s turned that establishment around bringing atmosphere and making it a pub that is familiar and warm, a place where people actually want to be.

Julie is truly a remarkable woman, her tenacity and fortitude has driven her determination that she will not be beaten by cancer. Despite the obvious stresses, strains and pains that this disease brings, this lady always has a smile on her face, a hug to offer and a laugh to be heard!

If you’d had asked me a year ago whether I could see my friends and I entering a 5K race, I’d have laughed and asked if there were plenty of pubs for us to stop off at along the way – but Cancer Research is such a worthy cause, and we love Julie so much that we’re prepared to endure the task to help in any way we can. Now I’m not saying I’ll run the whole thing.... and it’s highly likely that I’ll finish it with a bottle of wine in my left hand and a packet of Marlboros in my right, but I promise to finish it none the less.

So please, dig deep people. This is not the time to be tight or miserly – at the very least you should be donating just to see the hideous photos of a sweaty and disgusting me that will undoubtedly appear on Facebook after the race, but at the very most you should donate for women like Mi Julie, who need your help and support to allow them to keep fighting and keep smiling!