Update from RV and Ari: We have successfully completed the London Marathon 2022. You can read about Ari's experience here - https://masalamug.com/happiness-london-marathon-2022-experience/

Thank you all for the donations, tips, wishes, phone calls. We have already raised GBP 1900 for the Worldwide Cancer Research and are just 100 short of the GBP 2000 target!  

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Our Story

RV: Sometimes you hear about cancer struggles about people you know. You feel for them and try to help but then move on. However I experienced how it really feels when my mother got diagnosed with Colon Cancer. I felt like a bullet train had hit me and I couldn’t believe that can happen to my mother who use to eat home food, was more energetic than people half her age. Despite all our effort we put in and courage my mother had to fight the disease, we couldn’t save her. When you look around, you realise that this disease is closer than you always thought. It clearly needs more research and technology support to create awareness which can help early detection. Difference between people who survive is early detection and timely treatment.

Ari: Some people very close to me have been impacted by cancer. It all started in 2006 when someone close was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) - he was 23. We couldn't save him and the grief shows up in the family even after 16 years. The biggest realisation was that cancer needs more research, technology and awareness for it to be detected early and cured faster. The chances of survival is 6-8 times more and cost of care half when treated early comparing with late detection. 

We are running the London Marathon 2022 to raise money for Worldwide Cancer Research (https://www.worldwidecancerresearch.org/) that will be used to fund groundbreaking cancer research to help end cancer. (It is estimated that 10 million people will die from cancer worldwide in 2022)

How can you support?

1. Donate for the cause using this page - you can do from anywhere in the world and it will directly go to WCR. You can donate from any country using credit/ debit card and if you are in India, using gPay. You can read on https://www.worldwidecancerresearch.org/ about the ongoing initiatives where the money will be spent. 
2. Spread the word within your friends, family and colleagues - first step towards reducing cancer cases is awareness and early detection. 
3. Follow our training cycle and drop those emojis 🔥🙌💪⭐🏃🤘 to motivate during those hot summer and monsoon training runs! 

What do you get in return?

1. A promise from the Worldwide Research team and us that the funds will be used towards making the world free from cancer
2. A pint of beer or coffee on us whenever we meet in person - be it Delhi, London, Berlin, New York, Barcelona, Timbuktu or anywhere else!
3. Tips, tricks and guidance on running your first 5k, 10k, half or a full marathon!

Why did we pick Worldwide Cancer Research?

1. WCR is funding researches towards prevention, diagnosis and treatment - it's key to focus on all these areas
2. Since 1979, WCR has invested £200 million in 2,000 research projects in 35 countries around the world
   
3. Visible impact - A research funded in 2013 finally paid off and the first patients were treated with the new drug on clinical trials that started in 2021
4. Focussed team - not afraid to think out of the box

What's the training cycle like?

It's a 20 week training block that starts in May with the first 4 weeks dedicated to increase base mileage and then start increasing. Won't definitely be easy in the middle of peak heat in May/ June (temperatures reaching 47C in Delhi) followed by super humid conditions in July/ Aug. Overall the training block will consist of ~1000 KMs (~650 miles) individually of training runs along with cross training (bike, yoga) and 2-3 days per week of strength training. 

We have connected this page with Ari's strava account. All his runs will be auto published on this page. 

RV's runs can be seen here - https://www.strava.com/athletes/13313297

Oh, and here's an article Ari wrote earlier this year on what are the different triggers for a "happy run". Give it a read - www.masalamug.com/happy-run/

Other Relevant Information

• Since 2021, Ari has been working with a close friend on a mobile app called Timely (www.timelyonco.com) - a tool for GPs to be able to "think" cancer. In a few months we should be able to test it for efficacy. 
• Why London? Ari: "Apart from Delhi, it's the only city I can call home. I have worked and lived there for 3 years and those were some of the most amazing years of my life" RV: "Having worked in London and with massive family support there, it is one city that has my heart."

Why JustGiving?

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.