For those who know me, you will know of my love for running and my heart for social justice. It is with great honour and anticipation that I have the opportunity to combine both these passions in running my first full marathon for an organisation that promotes the values of social justice and affirms the dignity, respect and solidarity of all human beings.

Jesuit Refugee Service UK ("JRS UK") advocates for those who have left their homes and families seeking protection in a sometimes uncaring world and provides support to those starting in their new 'marathon of life'.

There is much that goes into the preparation for running a race, however I came to gain an insight into what it means to have ‘strength, resilience and courage’ whilst I was completing a Masters in Law, with the focus on ‘human trafficking’, where I learnt how cruel our world can be to vulnerable groups of people, often whom are exploited and uncared for, yet still displayed great fortitude and bravery. The value of community also became especially evident for me when I moved from South Africa to Ireland in 2018 where I began to more fully appreciate the importance of basic support, care and respect; factors that are significant for anyone's journey; even more so for those who have endured relentless conditions in their basic desire for safety and security.

It will be for these 'strong, resilient and courageous' people, that I will have the honour of representing at the iconic London Marathon.

Please consider assisting in this race by contributing to our campaign. It will mean a great deal to me, and make a difference to so many.