Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

After years of paddling in the shallow waters of gentler runs, I’ve decided to take the plunge and will be running the Edinburgh Marathon in 2018. I have found running is something that I’ve been able to continue as I get older and, when my wife went through the experience of cancer diagnosis and treatment in 2012, it provided a good therapy for me. It was a time and space to think, pray and sometimes shout (much to the interest of guided busway passengers). When she finished the chemo- and radiotherapy in 2013 I ran a half marathon for Marie Curie.

At the time I thought that was it and I had no further running intentions – I was wrong!  

Heather is now approaching 5 years post-treatment and I am very grateful for her health and the care that she has received from all the great team at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge. As a GP in Cambridge I am very aware of the pressures that all medical teams work under in primary and secondary care. I am also very aware of all my patients and the different, challenging and also difficult journeys that we have been making together these past years.

In recognition of all of this I will be running the Marathon in May. Though I have promised to do it without the shouting!

So why Oxfam?

Well, initial links are that we have donated to Oxfam as a charity for some years and that my daughter volunteers in one of the Oxfam
shops in town. But more than that this last year we have been made aware of poverty and injustice more than ever and Oxfam is passionate about tackling that everywhere. Something I hadn’t been aware of is that money raised may be supporting people here in the UK as well as in countries like Ethiopia or Haiti. That global approach is something I wanted to get behind.

I would be so pleased if you could get behind me as I train and run for Oxfam. If you could donate something that would be great. If you can keep an eye on my page and maybe send me a message to encourage my training that would be great too.  Now we see if the doctor can practise what he sometimes preaches!

Thank you for reading this!

Julian.

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. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.