Thank you very much for visiting our page. As the title states we have decided to embark on what will probably end up being the most painful 13.1 miles! After completing the sign up form we decided to dust off our trainers and give this running a go-how hard can it be? 2 miles, a stitch and some cramping later we realised a vigorous training programme was going to be necessary for such novice runners as ourselves! We have since been following a 12 week training plan which we are hoping will get us round the course. 
The main question you might have is why are we doing this to ourselves? Whilst part of the decision was probably due to filling time in our summer at Medical School and the dreams of beach bodies, by far the biggest reasons were some shocking statistics, Dr Karen Woo and the work of an inspiring foundation.
Did you know that in Afghanistan 1 woman dies during childbirth every 28 minutes and 1 in 5 children will die before the age of 5? Such inconceivable figures inspired Dr Karen Woo to embark on humanitarian missions to Afghanistan, providing healthcare to rural and remote areas which have little to no access to even basic facilities. On her last mission Dr Woo began filming a documentary with the aim to demonstrate the needs of the Afghan population. 
Dr Karen Woo was tragically murdered in Afghanistan 3 days before she was due to return home. 
The documentary was later completed by her fiance and it was this documentary that caught our attention.
Dr Karen Woo's compassion inspired friends and family to set up a Foundation to continue her legacy and the aid she strongly believed in. The foundations aims include:

1. Provide healthcare to the Afghans, in particular women and children

2. Support training of healthcare providers, with particular focus on those who work with mothers and children

3. Provide medical supplies for the medical providers in Afghanistan, particularly those in rural and remote areas

4. Heathcare Education to Afghan people

5. Support provision of healthcare to women in Afghan prisons

6. Promote awareness of the healthcare needs of women and children in Afghanistan

And you're donations really can make a difference:

£15= Resucsitation set for new-borns with breathing difficulties
£25= 7 day course Co-Amoxiclav
£50= Enough analgesia, anti-dirarrhoea agent and rehydration solutions for 1 person for 1 month
£60 = "Neo-Natalie" training set for Midwife tuition
£200= Rural Midwife can receive training at a recognised centre for 1 month.

So please donate whatever you can, your pennies will provide motivation for us to cross that finish line and more importantly it will directly benefit those who need it most. 
If you have any questions about the race or the foundation please get in touch, or visit http://www.karenwoofoundation.org/

Thank you very much, Priya and Lottie xx

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