Little Princess Trust - children's cancer charity.

Running for Peter Rogerson – Leeds Half Marathon, on what would have been his 75th birthday.

Losing my dad, Peter Rogerson, to cancer was an enormous shock for the whole family. He became suddenly and seriously unwell while we were away on holiday, and although we managed to book an earlier flight home, he died before we were able to get back. He was being cared for by my mum, sister and niece and I'm grateful they were with him.

I was very close to my dad, and we shared a great many interests. Sport, including running, was something we always had in common and I can remember him running the Great North Run in 1983 and 1985. I can still picture the T-shirts and medals and, as a child, I was incredibly proud of him. He was the first person I trained with and I have since gone on to enjoy the privilege of running with my own children. I am now President of Abbey Runners, and both the club and getting out for runs have provided a great deal of support and comfort.

On my first run with the club after his death, I realised that this year’s Leeds Half Marathon falls on what would have been my dad's 75th birthday, and it immediately felt like an appropriate way to mark the day, by doing something he enjoyed, and raising money for a cause that he would have fully supported.

Like me, my dad was a teacher, and he cared deeply about children, about education, and about making a positive difference. He was genuinely impressed by how much the running community had grown in recent years, and particularly loved seeing the impact of parkrun and watching his grandchildren taking part. When we discussed, as a family, which charity to support, we felt that the Little Princess Trust was a particularly good fit. As well as providing wigs for children and young people who lose their hair through cancer treatment—something that helps to support self-esteem and a sense of identity at a very difficult time—they also fund vital research and treatments into childhood cancers.