I’ll be honest with you, I’m doing this for charity because I missed the ballot and really wanted to run the Hackney Half!

But that said, I specifically chose this charity because of an experience with my daughter Verity. As you may know when she was younger she had two lots of chemotherapy over three years because of her NF1 and a non-cancerous brain tumour; being treated at GOSH from the age of two. The weekly chemo sessions were in the same wing of the hospital as all the children being treated with cancer. On the day Verity finally finished her last chemo treatment she was in the communal playroom colouring in some pictures with another little girl who came out to the hallway with all the doctors, nurses parents and other children to watch Verity ring the symbolic bell which everyone does when they finish chemo and get the all clear. After we’d all clapped and celebrated I got chatting to this girls dad and found out that his daughter’s cancer was terminal. I really didn’t know what to say, and it put into perspective how lucky I was with Verity despite everything we went through.

So, if you’ve read this far hopefully you’ll give a little and help me smash the minimum fundraising target.

This is the standard guff the charity has to say for itself:

“We are CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association, a charity dedicated to creating a brighter future for children and young people with cancer. Powered by expertise, we unite the children and young people’s cancer community, driving collective action and progress.

We fund and lead pioneering research, provide trusted information and guidance for children and young people with cancer and their families, and bring together professionals to improve treatment, care, and outcomes.”