As many of you may know I used to be a runner - I ran three half marathons and trained regularly with friends - then due to injury over a period of nearly three years and then depression I haven't run since.... however, I want to start to tackle my depression by running again - just small distances to start with but I am committing to running 60 miles in 25 days to raise £600 towards Sarah Brigham's treatment for an inoperable cancer. Here is more detail about why they are raising £60,000 and what its for:

Sarah Brigham is artistic director and CEO of Derby Theatre and has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. She has a 6cm tumour in her trachea. The cancer is adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) and only two in a million people have this type of cancer. The cancer is slow growing but relentless, and so it’s important that it is stopped in its tracks as soon as possible.

The best way to treat Sarah’s cancer would be surgery. Unfortunately, due to the size and location of Sarah’s tumour, this is not an option for her. This type of cancer doesn’t respond to chemotherapy and has limited response to normal radiotherapy.

There’s no escaping the fact that this is all devastating. But in true Brigham fashion, she is dealing with it like a bad-ass superhero. The amount of research, questioning and chasing of medical professionals that Sarah has done, whilst coming to terms with all of this, whilst also running a theatre and continuing to support artists, young people, friends and colleagues around her, is admirable… incredible… unbelievable… (there is no word big enough here to sum up her response thus far to this outrage of an illness).

And she remains very much herself. To quote Sarah:

"On the positive side (there has to be one right!) I physically feel ok and I remain positive. If you see me you wouldn't know I have this 6 cm tumour in my windpipe. I’m still working, still laughing, still putting the world to rights and still talking in a broad Hull accent. So Cancer is not winning!”

But Sarah cannot and should not fight this on her own. Here’s where you all come in…

The best treatment option is Carbon Ion Therapy, which will hopefully stop the cancer from growing or spreading and may offer the best long term prognosis. But here’s the spanner in the frankly crappy works: this treatment is not funded by the NHS. Sarah will have to travel to Germany to receive the treatment, and to do this, she needs to raise £60,000. *Gulp* *Pause* *Gulp*

It’s a huge amount of money, but so many people have contritbuted to the total so far but this is the last push help me to start running again and raise money to help Sarah-

THANK YOU

Ava xx