On the 9th September I will be running the Great North Run, a full 13 miles. Anyone who knows me knows running isn’t my thing, I only run when there’s a sale on in Dominos. Until about 2 years ago i didn‘t even realise there was actually a set distance for a marathon/ half marathon. But I’m running to raise money for Daft as a Brush, a charity that offers free transport to patients receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy as an outpatient at the Freeman/RVI hospitals.

We’ve all heard of cancer, sadly most of us will have been affected by it but even as a nurse I never fully understood the treatment regime patients have to go through. In the summer of 2016 my Grandad was diagnosed with cancer and his treatment was weeks of radiotherapy attending the Freeman everyday Monday-Friday. As we sat in that waiting room everyday I couldn’t help but notice the work of Daft as a Brush, providing that vital service for people when they are at their most vulnerable. Not only providing transport but also a friendly face, a sense of community, a sense that they aren’t alone in this battle. The NHS ambulance service offers patient transport but it’s overstretched and Daft as a Brush offers that alternative. Many of these people using this service have no one to drive them to appointments or they don’t want to ask for help as they don’t want to inconvenience people.

Please donate whatever you can, help me raise money for this amazing local charity and push me to get through that final mile!