*20th September 2010*: So it's finally all over! For those of you that don't know already, i survived the race (which was a lot tougher than I expected!) and finished in 2:13:05. I can honestly say that your kind generosity was what got me through to the finish line! Lots of love xx

*16th August 2010*: Thanks to everyone's generosity (and a particularly successful afternoon tea!) I have now managed to hit my fundraising target! However, as I've said before, every penny not only goes towards helping a wonderful charity - but it also helps to keep me motivated! So please do keep giving... :-)

Some of you will know that I have personal reasons for choosing Breast Cancer Care as my charity of choice - others will simply know how much I have come to love running over the last year or so and have therefore set myself the challenge of running 13.1 miles around one of my very favourite cities!

My target is to complete the run in well under 2.5 hours - not an unreasonable challenge but i certainly have lots of training to do before that has any chance of becoming a reality!

Where your money will go...

I appreciate there are many requests for sponsorship these days but I truly believe that "every little helps" and I can assure you that whatever you are able to spare will be very gratefully received! Even donating just 50p enables someone to gain support via the Breast Cancer Care website by joining the discussion forums or taking part in a ‘live’ online chat where people affected by breast cancer can share their experiences and support each other. Thinking slightly bigger...

* £23 covers the cost of a call to Breast Cancer Care's free, confidential helpline, offering crucial one-to-one support and information to anyone affected by breast cancer.
* £51 funds an appointment with their HeadStrong service, offering practical tips on hair loss and scalp care before, during and after treatment. People can try out different hats, scarves and hairpieces and talk through the concerns they have about their hair loss.
* £102 funds a place on one of Breast Cancer Care’s information sessions, enabling someone with breast cancer to share their experiences and questions with others who understand.

My overall fundraising target is £517 - a bit random I know but this is the figure needed to fund the charity's complete Care and Support Programme for one person newly diagnosed with breast cancer, and I therefore thought it was a pretty good target to aim for (although I would desperately love to raise more!)... This programme gives access to specialist information which can be taken home, access to health professionals who can explain complex medical terms, support from peer - volunteers who have themselves been affected by breast cancer and patient events bringing people together in order to share experiences and build networks of support.

In addition, through the formation of The Lavender Trust at Breast Cancer Care, the charity also raises money specifically to fund information and support for younger women with breast cancer. Although breast cancer is relatively uncommon in younger women, 8,000 women under the age of 50 are diagnosed a year, and the Lavender Trust is still the only fund in the UK dedicated to addressing their particular needs and concerns.

So if you've managed to stick with my ramblings up until this point, I hope you will agree that this is a very worthy cause and on behalf of Breast Cancer Care would like to say a very big thank you in advance for your support - however great or small :-)

Even if you are not able to support financially then a few simple motivating words of encouragement every now and then would be very much appreciated over the next couple of months! And if just reading this email has raised your awareness of Breast Cancer Care then I've already moved a step in the right direction... :-)
 
Lots of love,

Helen x

ps. Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.