Back in 2020, I set myself the challenge of running the London Marathon which I initially managed to do in October of that year, but in a 'virtual' format. 

This Sunday is finally the race for 'real' and given that I've met so many more great people over the last few years, I'm taking the opportunity to spread the message of a great charity that means a lot to both Kate and myself. 

We are lucky enough to have 3 healthy young children (Lily, Jun and Maeve). Even when they wake up a silly o'clock (!) or refuse to take a nice photo for charity running pages (see above), we know how lucky and blessed we are, given the multiple risks of childbirth and pregnancy.

Kate is a practicing obstetrician and has dedicated a large portion of her medical career to research, specifically in a condition called pre-eclampsia. For those who are not aware, pre-eclampsia is a condition that occurs in 5% of pregnancies, with 2% posing a serious risk to both mother and child. In 2019, research and clinical trials resulted in the development of a new blood test that helps diagnose clinical markers, which would indicate if the mother potentially was at risk. This earlier diagnosis would then help inform different treatment pathways. This is a tangible example of how research can play a critical role in the day-to-day lives of each and every one of us. This blood test is now committed to being both funded and implemented by the government in the near future.

Charities such as APEC aim to raise public and professional awareness of pre-eclampsia. Given that Kate has spent her life working on this cause, running the Marathon is the very least that I could do.