As most of you know, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in November. I’m currently half way through chemotherapy but still have a lot of treatment ahead.

I have always been active and running has been a big part of my life for the last 5 years. Thankfully I’ve managed to keep that up during chemo, albeit much much slower than I used to be but it’s helped to keep me positive and manage some of the chemo side effects.

Before I got my diagnosis, I had already signed up for the Chester Triple this year with my friend Rosie Hunter. This involves a 10k in March, half marathon in May and some form of marathon in October (I’m now doing the metric 26.2k). My original aim was to try and PB at each event but now I simply want to ‘get round’ in whatever way I can. There will certainly be more walking now than running.

I’m planning on running for a different charity for each race. First up is raising funds for the Orthopaedic Institute at RJAH with the plan for these funds to go towards a new Education Centre (see more about this below!)

But I’m not doing this 10k alone! I have a little crackpot team I’m dragging along with me for morale support.

- Andy Bing my fabulous friend and colleague and his son Ollie are putting their best feet forward despite not being regular runners.

- Laura Haythorn our excellent organiser of everything Institute related who is currently training for her first ultramarathon!!!

- George my 15yr old son is joining although I suspect I’ll be way too slow for him and he will cruise on past.

- Rozie Hunter- epic friend and amazing all round support crew is doing the entire Triple series with me.

Please give what you can to get this fund off to a healthy start

Cat xx

For several years, plans have been in development for a new education centre at RJAH. A legacy of Professor James Richardsons vision and the longstanding educational ethos of the orthopaedic hospital where many greats of orthopaedic surgery have worked and trained, these plans aim to provide a new, modern facility, fit for the future and to educate doctors, in particular orthopaedic surgeons of the future as well as other healthcare professionals. Building on the renowned orthopaedic training programme and national courses that have trained so many, the plan is to build a facility that will enable us to further develop our educational profile and with the recent link with the new University of Chester medical school provide undergraduate educational facilities as well.

The Orthopaedic Institute Limited, founded in 1971, is a registered national charity and through voluntary contributions, helps to fund research in the specialist research centres and departments within the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Oswestry, Shropshire. It also supports the funding of educational facilities and activities such as organising training courses for orthopaedic trainees and allied health professionals.

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