Thank you for visiting my Justgiving Page.

It’s been four years since I ran over 26 miles but I’ve finally been persuaded out of running retirement to complete this year's Virgin London Marathon for two causes very close to my professional heart; The National Hospital Development Foundation (NHDF) and Cavernoma Alliance UK (CA UK). It would really mean a lot to me to have your support.

The £2.5 million Brain Tumour Unit Appeal was launched by NHDF in 2008 and over £1.8 million has been raised so far, but there is still a long way to go. The money has been used to get both the Clinical Database and the Brain Tissue Bank up and running. Almost all the medical staff are in place and a substantial amount of equipment has been purchased. All that remains to be done is the refurbishment and final equipping of the 12-bed ward itself. Once the Brain Tumour Unit is in place we can start to make a real difference to the diagnosis, treatment and quality of life for hundreds of people with brain cancer. And the knowledge we gain from our research and clinical trials will go on to affect the lives of countless others across the .

Cavernoma Alliance has been educating, informing and supporting people with cavernomas since 2005. Cavernomas are blood vessel abnormalities in the brain which are surprisingly common and can bleed and cause seizures, headaches, imbalance, slurred speech, double vision and tremor. CA UK hosts a series of annual forums and has established regional meetings at centres of excellence across the country. Funding is needed to continue these awareness projects and enable research into how and why cavernoma may form and how they can be treated without surgical intervention. 

I hope to raise at least £50,000 by taking part and I would be delighted to have your support.

Thank you for your kind support and contributions.

Best wishes

Neil Kitchen