I was rather stunned in February when I found out I’d been successful in getting a ballot place for this year’s London Marathon, taking place on Sunday 3rd October. Having never run a marathon before, this seems like a great opportunity to try to raise a few pennies for a charity that means a great deal to me - The Royal Papworth Hospital Charity.

Many of you will know that I am a respiratory physiotherapist at Royal Papworth Hospital - a specialist heart and lung centre. During the challenges of the last 18 months, the charity has been brilliant in supporting staff as we faced the toughest months of our careers - from providing food and drinks to employing a wellbeing practitioner to help manage our mental health, they have been invaluable.

The charity also support to fund initiatives such as our world leading DCD heart transplant programme and our soon to be open Heart & Lung Research Institute.

Therefore, it is the least I can do to say thank you and give a little bit back! If you are able to, any donation no matter how small will be very gratefully received. Thank you!

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Royal Papworth Charity exists to support the ground-breaking work of Royal Papworth Hospital. With increasing pressures on the NHS, the Charity plays a vital role in ensuring that the Hospital continues to provide the highest standards of care by investing in staff development, improving the Hospital environment for our patients and supporting research into new ways of treating heart and lung disease. Our patients, their families and the staff are at the heart of everything we do, this is all made possible by the generosity of our supporters.