🏃🏽‍♀️ 𝗜'𝗺 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 🏃🏽‍♀️🧠

Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. I can't quite believe I am writing this (because, honestly, I hate running with a burning passion) but I am running the 2024 London Marathon in aid of The National Brain Appeal.

On Tuesday 10 October, our lives changed forever with one phone call. My dearest Dad - my hero, my rock and my greatest love - experienced a completely unexpected brain aneurysm and subarachnoid hemorrhage. By some divine intervention, Dad was near Watford at the time, so was close enough to be taken straight to The National Hospital for Neurology - the best hospital for neurosurgery in the country. Dad's case was incredibly complicated, and after recovering well (with the care of an incredible nursing team), Dad took another drastic turn on the day he was due to come home.

My darling Dad was cared for and treated at NHNN in critical care for two long, horrific and terrifying months where he had further complications. He was brought back to University Hospital Southampton ICU on Sunday 10 December: this is where he currently is. We are all taking one day at a time, but he is being an absolute warrior. Strong, powerful and determined to make more memories with his girls.

If you know me, you'll know how much my Dad means to me. He has ALWAYS been the most important person in my life. My first love and my eternal love. I have a huge (Dad is one of six!) family who I adore, and who are so supportive, but in my heart Dad is my world and the root of my very existence. I have never experienced pain like this and all I want to do is pick up the phone and have a good gossip with him, or spend an evening getting our favourite Thai takeaway and recounting our favourite (and most hilarious) memories for the 50,000th time.

And if you know Dad, you'll know how much his girls mean to him! I know a lot of people say this, but he is the best Dad in the world. Anyone who has met him loves him. Lovingly known as 'Badge' to all, he's the life and soul but also the most gentle giant. He'd do anything for anyone, he wears his heart on his sleeve and he's hilarious, so f**king intelligent, full of endless love and is the core of both our family and any friendship group he is a part of.

I decided to apply to run the London Marathon for The National Brain Appeal because, honestly, I need a focus. I need a challenge - and I want that challenge to support brain research at the country's national centre for neurology. It's going to be hard and it's going to be painful, but as my best friend said to me: nothing can be as painful as what we're currently going through, so I welcome whatever the marathon has to bring.

Some more information on the amazing charity your donation will support: The National Brain Appeal aims to transform the lives of the millions of people affected by neurological and neuromuscular conditions. It helps to drive advancement by funding pioneering research, innovative treatments and world-class facilities over and above what the NHS can provide.

Your donation will help The National Brain Appeal to improve the outcome and quality of life for the millions of people affected by a neurological condition.