I'm going to be taking on the world's most famous 26.2 miles on Sunday 21st April for The Brain Tumour Charity. By running I'm hoping to raise lots of money to help the Charity's movement to help people with brain tumours live longer and better lives.

My story - Why this charity and this race?

I was notified that I had got a place in the marathon on Thursday 6th July. The following Monday marked 25 years to the day my dad got told he had a Brain Tumour. It changed his life and our lives and the time has finally come to raise some money to help others. If we can save one person or one family going through what we did, or make it easier, it will be worth it. (Please note it was 25yrs ago and research, treatments and support have now all improved).

On the 27th June 1998, during France '98, when I was 12, my Dad went in for a simple planned back operation for sciatica. He had been playing squash and golf the week before. He came home a few days later fell over a few times and realised something wasn't right. He went back in to see the surgeon and the operation was repeated on Friday 10th July, thinking they'd trapped a nerve and hence why his foot didnt lift properly. When the surgeon did his rounds on the Saturday my dad asked if it could spread. His hand was weakening. He hadn't been able to fill in the forms on Thursday night but thought it was nerves. He was scanned and then blue-lighted to The Royal Free Hospital in London - there was a shadow on the Brain. A Brain Tumour was confirmed; a non- Hodgkin's lymphoma. My brother and I went to see him on the Wednesday, the day before his operation, in case he didnt make it. By this point he was in wheelchair with his whole right-side paralysed. He was prising open his hand finger by finger and when he got to one end it was closed again. It was awful to see. The operation went well. It took a while to find out it was cancerous. He started chemotherapy at the end of July. He then had daily Mon-Fri radiotherapy in London for 5 weeks starting in November but was allowed home for a few weekends and for Christmas. He had more chemo in January and a stem cell transplant plus several blood transfusions along the way. In this time he also had to learn to write again and walk again, with lots of physio. He worked so hard and never once complained. He tried to go back to work and his company were fantastic but ended up unable to continue and retired early. He also had to wait 4 years before he was able to drive again. Over the years he struggled from short term memory loss and then started to have some TIAs and vacant episodes due to the scar tissue. His foot never fully recovered so he scuffed up a hill and flopped down it. It resulted in many a fall and he wasn't always quick enough to save himself with his arms. His arm never fully recovered either. My Dad lost his confidence and the tumour or the affects of it really aged him and also changed him. He survived 18.5years after the initial tumour before passing away in 2016. He was lucky but it changed his life and ours. We didn't do many holidays, no longer were able to have as much help with homework, and were unable to take up lots of sporting opportunities I was offered as I couldn't get to them. It was hard to see too.

In April 1999 I watched the London Marathon with my Dad, and a friend, whilst he was still sitting in his wheelchair. We said we'll do it in the future. I thought it would be in 5 years as soon as I was old enough. It will actually be 25 years. My Dad never recovered enough and I lost my love of running. We'd always done the Berkhamsted 5 mile Fun Run together. In '99 I did it on my own and that was my last race. It wasn't the same - it was sad remembering what we used to be able to do and now couldn't. I've run a bit for my fitness to help my hockey and come back from injuries but this will be the first actual running for running sake and fundraising for such an important cause will spur me on.

Other reasons for running and fundraising. My twin nieces are now 8. They never got to know their Granddad properly because of the affects of his tumour and were 1.5yrs old when he passed away. Then at 4 yrs old they lost their uncle Sean, on the other side of the family at only 29yrs old. Two big people in their lives lost due to brain tumours. A lovely member at BHHHC passed away last year due to a brain tumour and a friend at SAHC is currently receiving treatment for one. Within my school community I know there is a least one family who have a family member battling one. The more you speak about it the more you realise how many people have been affected by a brain tumour. Any support, however big or small, to help the fight against brain tumours; to improve the research, treatment and support, would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!