Story
* * * UPDATE * * *
What a great day! I ran the marathon in a personal best of 3:07:07, taking nearly seven minutes off my previous time. It was such a fantastic day, the crowds were amazing and support from friends and family (on route and at home), made it extra special. Best of all though, is the fantastic generosity shown by so many to bring our fund-raising to over £2500 (including gift aid and off-line donations). A big thank you to everyone for their support and sponsorship. There is still time to donate for those that haven't - this page will be active for a while yet so please dig deep if you haven't already done so. Thank you very much.
ps Will upload a marathon day photo or two as soon as I can!
* * * Original message * * *
Hi there
For nearly four months now I have been training hard for the London Marathon on April 25th. As most of you will know, I do this kind of thing for fun(!), and have been running for about six or seven years now. (My place in this year’s race was in fact secured through my club, Ipswich Jaffa RC – thank you!). I have been intending on setting up a fundraising page for ages but for one reason or another hadn’t gotten round to it yet. Recent events however have inspired me to act and I hope you can dig deep to sponsor me.
Someone very close to me has been diagnosed with cancer in the past fortnight. I will spare the details for their privacy but suffice to say, it has come as a complete shock and immediate treatment has been required. They have been cared for at Ipswich Hospital, specifically the Somersham Ward, for the past week and will be returning frequently over the coming months for further treatment. The care, support and advice provided by the hospital and the resident Macmillan nurses has been exceptional. For this reason, I have decided to run the Virgin London Marathon on their behalf and hope to raise as much money as possible to help these good people continue their great work.
Macmillan Cancer Support are a national charity that improves the lives of people affected by cancer. They provide practical, medical, emotional and financial support and push for better cancer care. If you would like to donate to them, please click the button below. I would also like to raise money for the Somersham Ward Cancer Unit Support Group (registered charity number 299050). They aim to improve the quality of life on the cancer ward of Ipswich Hospital, both in the provision of medical equipment and added comforts. They work closely with the hospital staff to ensure that the best possible use is made of available resources. Unfortunately they are not represented on justgiving.com so it is not possible to donate online. If you would like to make a donation, please see me and I will personally pass on cash or cheques to the group. Both charities have provided invaluable support and all the money I can raise will help them continue their work. I would be very grateful for your sponsorship.
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 and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
So please dig deep and donate now.