Martin Briggs was my friend.

He was a brilliant husband and Dad, an outstanding clinician,
and an original thinker. He had absolutely the worst taste in clothes and was
stubborn and argumentative. I loved him dearly.

Martin inherited an awful disease called Marfan syndrome. It
is a disorder of the body’s connective tissue that leads to medical problems
affecting the heart, eyes, and skeleton.

He was only 46 when it took him from us.

This syndrome blighted his life and had a terrible impact
upon his family. It also took his dad and his sister Geraldine.

I travelled with Martin and his wonderful family and
witnessed how he – and they - faced this disease with courage, stoicism and,
occasionally, anger. But there was always optimism, faith, and humour as well.

Despite his illness, he had a huge appetite for life. He
loved to travel, was quite partial to beer and, most important of all, he had a
genuine interest in people.

My friend would have been sixty this year and I want to mark
this anniversary by raising some money in his memory.

I’d like you to support me.

I am running the London Marathon next month and I want to
raise as much as possible for the Marfan Trust. This is the only UK charity that
focuses on all aspects of fighting this syndrome and supporting patients and
their families.

Martin would think that spending time running a long way was
bonkers.

We would have argued, over a pint of course, but in the end,
we would have agreed that although the running part was mad, helping to support
sufferers while raising public awareness was ‘a good thing’.

Help me honour his memory. Please contribute what you can: it
all counts.

Thank you.