When fortunate enough to secure a spot in my first ever marathon (thanks Team Lucozade!) I planned to run as a personal goal. As the weeks have ticked by, I’ve had a change of heart – having had time (a lot of it!) to think on my longer runs, I asked myself why would
I pass up the opportunity to simultaneously raise money?

The ‘who for’ was an easy one – in December 2018, a very dear friend, Sam Pearce, passed away aged just 38 from a brain tumour. Sam left behind his (rockstar) wife Becca, parents – Marie & Rod and 3 brothers Justin, Ashley & George – not to mention their families and
his circle of great, great friends.

Each of these individuals made Sam’s life one filled with fun, laughter (with a unique laugh of his own that I can still to hear this day!) and most importantly, love. This was apparent no more so than through his relationship with Becca who I can hands down say, together, showed such incredible strength, positivity, and FUN throughout the full extent of Sam’s illness; I honestly don’t know any other couple who truly embodied ‘YOLO’ (no apologies for the cringe acronym, Sam would have cackled!)

It was Becca who suggested the Tessa Jowell Foundation & when I first read their vision of ‘ensuring that every person diagnosed with brain cancer in the UK can choose to access consistently excellent, specialist brain cancer services’ I knew this was the one! Amongst many qualities, Sam was a huge advocate for Social Justice (&
woe betide anyone who had a difference in opinion!!) and a charity that has true equality at the heart would be right up Sam’s street.

Those of you who know we me well, know that I tend to use more of the “why use 10 words when you can use 10,000?!” so rather than write (more of) an essay, I’ll simply say in advance; thank you – for any donation you are able to make, every penny truly will count. 

Sam really was a one-of-a-kind, incredible individual who, whilst gone far too soon, leaves behind a big footprint on all those who had the honour of knowing him. Please help me to raise much needed funds for Brain Cancer research in memory of Sam.