This December, my brother Artem and I will be running the Valencia Marathon in memory of the light of our family, our mum - Maria.

As many of you know, we lost Maria to pancreatic cancer in November 2023 after a brutal 9-month battle with the illness. She was only 46 years old.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer and is notoriously difficult to detect in its early stages. It’s heartbreaking that more than half of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer pass away within three months. While survival rates have significantly improved for many cancers, this is not the case for pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic Cancer UK is committed to addressing this injustice through comprehensive efforts. They support people currently battling pancreatic cancer, advocate for better healthcare policies, and fund critical research aimed at transforming the future. Your support can help them achieve the breakthroughs that are so desperately needed.

I do not want anyone to endure what my mum and our family went through last year. It is incredibly unfair for a young woman to lose her life so prematurely.

By fundraising for Pancreatic Cancer UK, Artem and I hope to contribute to research that could lead to better early detection methods and, one day, a cure.