Having completed the Manchester Great Northern 10k run with my wife, Elle Flood, earlier this year… I am back again with another challenge in an effort to raise important funds for a charity that is particularly important to me & thousands other people in the UK.

This Sunday 12th October, I will be taking on the London Parks Half Marathon alongside my old man, Brendan Flood, in the hope of raising plenty of charitable donations for The Brain Tumour Charity ('TBTC').

TBTC is the world's leading brain tumour charity and the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours globally. Along with many others working in the field of cancer & rare diseases, they are actively funding pioneering research to find new treatments, improve understanding, increase survival and hopefully to find a cure to a disease that, since my own diagnosis, seems to be far too commonplace.

A brief look at the Home Page of https://www.thebraintumourcharity.org/ states that “on average, 34 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour every day in the UK”.

I’m sure it’s not just me that finds this completely and utterly mind-blowing!?

Unfortunately, there are many harsh realities to this disease but particularly so when it originates in the brain. The Brain Tumour Charity further reports:

1. Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40 in the UK

2. Over 5,400 people lose their lives to a brain tumour each year

3. High-grade brain tumours reduce life expectancy by on average 27 years – the highest of any cancer

4. Just 13% of adults survive for five years after a high-grade brain tumour diagnosis

For anyone that knows me well (personally or professionally), you’ll know I have an inquisitive nature and interest in hard statistics. When I was first diagnosed with cancer in 2023, I began to ask the most difficult questions I could think of - seeking estimated percentile risk(s) of one possible outcome versus the other.

Personally, I’d rather prepare for the worst so that every improved outcome beyond my own fears somehow feels like a mini-win.

Participating in (and hopefully completing) the half marathon this weekend will be a substantial win for me - not only will it be the longest run I have ever completed, but I will also be crossing the finish line on the 51-week anniversary of my 2024 craniotomy.

Representing The Brain Tumour Charity and spreading awareness about a critically important disease will be an honour. My family, who have supported me through 30-months of testing times requiring resilience and determination, will be cheering along the sidelines in another test - this time, one that I have opted in for!

If you are willing or able to make any donation to this brilliant charity in support of what I hope will be a valiant effort, I would be immensely grateful. For any Londoners who are looking for something fun to do this Sunday - please do come along and cheer!

Sincerely,

Conor