*edit: I had to pull out of the 2023 walk for more health reasons, which was very disappointing, but hopefully all is now good again, and I’ve booked in for the Gower Mighty Hike in June 2024. Thanks again for all your generous donations. It’s a terrific cause. *

I am taking on a Mighty Hike along the picturesque Dorset coastline to raise money for people living with cancer. I have pledged to raise at least £500, and would appreciate your help reaching, or even better, smashing this target. This is personal for me - just one year ago I was diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia, and I spent a large part of last year being treated at the Macmillan Centre, UCLH, in central London. I’m delighted to say that with the excellent care and support of the nurses and doctors there, I am now in full remission.  This anniversary got me thinking about how I can give back to the research, the people, organisations and facilities that made my today and tomorrows possible. 

Of course, Macmillan does so much more that provide buildings and facilities - not everyone is as fortunate as I have been in terms of outcomes, and you’ll doubtless have heard of Macmillan Support Workers, who provide emotional, practical and financial advice to someone affected by cancer. £500 could go towards funding a Macmillan Support Worker for two days, giving someone the help they so badly need.  

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.

The half-marathon walk may not seem that ambitious - but it’s over twice as far as I’ve walked in a day since my treatment, and if I remember, the Jurassic Coast has some proper up-and-down bits. I’ll be having a go at recording some of my training walks over the next few months on Strava, and if those seem to have frequent stop-starts, that’s the dog. Definitely not me. If some of my training sessions end up magically at the pub, that’s also the dog. I kid you not.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and thank you for your support.