A beautiful, crisp summer's morning in Berlin, and a privilege to take part in such an inspiring race. I finished in 3:25:31, somehow! Thanks to everyone who was able to donate, as well as the messages of encouragement and motivation over the summer - couldn't have done it without you.

-- Text BERL86 + Amount (£2/£5/£10) to 70070 to sponsor me today. Thanks. -- Chris

Here’s what inspired me to get off my backside - 

My Mum Susan, was only 57 when she was diagnosed with early onset Lewy Body Disease, a form of dementia. She dedicated her life to caring for others, worked at the Wellington and the Whittington in London, quickly establishing herself as a ward sister. She even travelled to the US to improve her bedside skills.

After three kids (Blake, Liz, and me) she was keen to get back into helping others and took on the role of family liaison officer, undertaking important and often intensive work for the children's cancer & haemetology ward at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge - sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes life-affirming.

Over eight years on from diagnosis, Mum is now is a fantastic care home in Cambridge. Our journey with this debilitating terminal illness has been pretty harrowing and occasionally shocking experience, and we wouldn't have got through it without the tremendous help & support we received from NHS services and their amazing staff.

Although its now too late for our mother as she is in the later stages of the disease, we’re taking all of her positive energy to raise much needed funds for the Alzheimer’s Association, to continue their research and support to help other families dealing with this awful illness, and perhaps develop improved diagnosis methods and treatments which can one-day offset the effects, helping to reduce the burden on families as well as and the huge cost of caring (estimated £23bn a year cost to the taxpayer). But most importantly, empowering suffers to get their life and independence back.

-- Text BERL86 + Amount (£2/£5/£10) to 70070 to sponsor me today. Thanks. -- Chris

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