I DID IT!!!  

It was very painful as my injured hamstring seized up at 9 miles. At 15 miles it went really downhill. But I dragged myself around the 26.2 miles. 

Do you actually think you'll make it all the way round and survive?" 

They were the words of my 9 year old son when I told the children I would be running the London Marathon in 2021. It sums up how much of a non-runner I am!

Anyway, I like to challenge myself, so I will plod the pavements for 10 months and then hopefully drag myself round the 26 mile course in London on October 3rd.

Why Operation Smile?

Some of you will know, many of you might not, that I lost my smile after having extensive head and neck surgery in 2010 to remove a large, destructive tumour. I had 30 years of a normal smile before it was taken away from me. From experience, I can assure you that not being able to smile, eat, drink or talk properly is not much fun. It is even less fun when you're a child who never had those skills to begin with,  will struggle to ever learn them, and it affects your future health and prospects.

Children born with cleft lip and palate in the developing world cannot access the surgery they desperately need for a healthy, happy future. Instead, they face difficulty breathing, eating and speaking and are left to live in social isolation due to the stigma surrounding their condition. It costs as little as £150 and takes just 45 minutes to provide this life-changing surgery. 

Thank you for helping me raise smiles!