Over Christmas and New Year, I decided I wanted to run my first marathon in aid of my mum, raising money in the process for Leukaemia UK.  It is something I’ve always wanted to do and now feels like the perfect time.  Mum’s death was a shock to the family, as it happened suddenly with very few symptoms.  In running a marathon for Leukaemia UK, I hope to raise people’s awareness to the disease and the charity itself.  I will be running the Edinburgh Marathon in September this year.  Along with my brother and brother-in-law we have also decided to do a collective beard shave, not shaving until September 2020.  We have an additional justgiving page where you can see updates on our beard growth and donate to our cause for Leukaemia UK.

My Story

I’ve been running for several years and early last year decided to apply for my first half marathon.  My friend and I joined the thousands of athletes running for themselves and different charities.  By the end of the race I’d caught the running bug!  I went on to enter a half marathon each month up to November 2019.  Running a total of seven half marathons in 8 months.

In September 2019 my family received some devastating news. Our mother had been taken ill on holiday.  We were told by the doctors that mum had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). A type of cancer that attacks the white blood cells in the body.  After almost two weeks of chemotherapy our mum with her three children by her side passed away.  

A couple of weeks later I was at the starting line of the Cheltenham half marathon. Knowing mum wouldn’t have wanted me to miss the event, I completed the race.  It was emotionally and mentally the hardest race of all seven half marathons. Along with the marathon I’ve also decided to do a sponsored beard shave.  

Friends, family and co-workers all understand this is as much a challenge for me as completing the marathon.  I’m known more from my beard than anything else and continually have customers come into my work, saying they have spotted me out running.  My brother along with my brother-in-law have also been recruited into this beard shaving event and we have another page ‘The Three Muska-Beards’ where you can also donate.  It will be held at my place of work The Luttrell Arms in Dunster.  The date and time have yet to be decided.  If you’d like to come along and watch this personally terrifying event take place and donate on the day we’d all appreciate your support.

Leukaemia UK is the UK's leading leukaemia research charity, dedicated to discovering better treatments and ultimately a cure for leukaemia and other blood cancers. 

Leukaemia statistics:

27 people are diagnosed with leukaemia every day in the UK and incidence rates are set to rise. Leukaemia is a type of blood cancer that can develop in people of any age but mostly affects older people and is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in children. Despite recent progress in treatment worldwide more than 265,000 people die from leukaemia and only 52% survive 5 years after diagnosis. The causes and 'cure all' are yet to be found this is why more clinical research is needed.

How your donation can help:

£10 could provide vital equipment to our researchers examining the effects of new treatments on cancerous cells.

£20 could help fund a research nurse to improve the survival of patients after a stem cell transplant.

£30 could develop information to explain the outcomes of our research for patients

£40 could help nurture the next generation of leukaemia researchers by supporting their first research project.

The support from my family, friends and co-workers will keep me motivated to continue the intense training, knowing they are checking my progress on social media on how the training is going.  I found the support of the crowd to be very helpful during the races I completed last year and expect it’ll be just the same in Edinburgh.  And then there will be mum herself along with my dad looking down and pushing me along.  They were always very supportive when I was young, playing sports and I know they would be doing the same now. 

I’d like to take this time to thank you for reading my story and my reasons for raising money for Leukaemia UK.  I’d also like to thank you for any donations big or small that will go to the charity.