Dear Friends,

Some of you know my story, some of you don't, but I think it's time to share. This weekend I'll be running my first half marathon (with my wonderful husband and supporter Chris) because:

This year I will be 37 years cancer free thanks to the wonderful Doctors, Nurses and staff from Great Ormond Street Hospital, and the Royal Marsden. In particular I owe massive debts of gratitude to Dr Jon Pritchard and Professor Tim McElwain.

When I was just 4 years old I was diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer called Neuroblastoma. No, it's not a brain tumor but a tumor that often starts on the adrenal glands, more info here: <a href="http://www.cancer.gov/types/neuroblastoma">

http://www.cancer.gov/types/neuroblastoma</a>

By the time I was diagnosed my disease had progressed to stage 4 and my prognosis was far from good—I'm extremely lucky to be alive. 

Thanks to people like you however, and the marvelous work that doctors have done, the outlook for children over one year of age diagnosed today is much better. The 5-year survival rate has risen from just 34% to around 68% since 1975. Please help The Neuroblastoma Society help support further research and families struck by this disease, because whatever the prognoses, the road to recovery is a hard one.

I spent a year of my life in and out of hospitals, and it has affected me in ways big and small, positive and negative, ever since. Help me to help them.

Love,

Jess