My name is Lesley Anson, I'm 52, and I'll be running the 2024 London Marathon for Sarcoma UK in honour of my brother, Jeremy 'Bunter' Anson. 

Jeremy loved his job as a coder but his passion was mountaineering. You can read about his exploits here (https://www.markhorrell.com/blog/2019/in-memoriam-jeremy-bunter-anson-who-put-twixes-on-the-himalayan-map/) and here (https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bunterintothedeathzone).

Sadly, Jeremy lost a very brave battle against cancer almost five years ago. He had a rare and aggressive form of cancer called sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma. Sarcomatoid carcinomas occur when cells within a carcinoma become 'sarcomatoid'. However, this transformation is poorly understood because these cancers are so rare, therefore treatment options are very limited and survival rates poor.

I decided to raise money for Sarcoma UK so that more research can be done to better understand the process by which sarcomas develop. And what better way to do that than to set myself a challenge of the magnitude that Jeremy would approve - running 26.2 miles. In full disclosure, I ran a marathon once before - 20 years ago. But age is no longer on my side, and numerous health issues and injuries have prevented me from running since then. I'm pleased to report, however, that I've been in good health and injury free for the last six months, so marathon training is about to commence!

Please help me to improve the lives of sarcoma sufferers and their families by clicking on the 'give now' link above. 

Sarcoma UK is a national charity that funds vital research, offers support for anyone affected by sarcoma cancer and campaigns for better treatments. Sarcoma is a type of cancer that develops in the bone and soft tissue. It is difficult to diagnose and one of the hardest to treat. Your donation will help researchers find answers, keep the specialist Support Line open, and raise awareness to improve treatment and standards of care.

Your donations will have a tangible impact in the sarcoma community: £1 Could cover the cost of 10 texts to the support line; £10 Could be used to buy microscope slides to look at cells in minute detail; £30 Could fund one hour of use of a high-powered laboratory microscope; £150 Could fund the support line for a week.