I am joining my sister and some friends to run the Bournemouth Half Marathon in October, in aid of Ocular Melanoma UK, and would be very grateful for your support.

Completely out of the blue in October 2018, my dad was diagnosed with a very rare eye cancer. With the average prognosis for his demographic being just five years, he was treated with proton beam therapy. He lost half the sight in his left eye but fortunately didn’t require a prosthetic as so many do. This treatment ultimately terminated the tumour growth but meant ongoing six-monthly liver scans, as ocular melanoma has a habit, to metastasise to the liver, in around in 50% of people. When this happens, it becomes terminal.

In September 2022, we learned the cancer had spread, leaving dad in Stage IV with no way back. He had 25% of his liver removed, but the tumours began to grow back almost immediately. His prognosis was updated to 1-3 years and since then, we have crossed our fingers for every 3-month scan.

From the first diagnosis in 2018, mum and dad have spent a huge amount of time trying to understand this rare cancer. One of the best sources of advice has been Ocular Melanoma UK which is why we are raising money for them this October.

For my dad, they offer him access to community of people; seeing similar consultants, undergoing similar medical treatments and dealing with the same side effects. They are all living in hope of a cure being found in time. The charity enables these people to meet each other and talk, to be more informed of the options available to them, albeit limited.

Dad currently attends the Royal Marsden once a week for immunotherapy and will do until the cancer beats the drug. Despite everything, he remains fit and active, practising yoga every morning and kitesurfing pretty much every day he is able.

We have had some amazing family times over the past 7 years and hug each other a little bit tighter now.

Ocular Melanoma is a rare form of eye cancer, affecting about 500 new people in the UK every year with no known cause. Ocular Melanoma UK is the only charity in the country dedicated to supporting people affected by this cancer. They provide reliable information, a friendly helpline, and online forums where patients and families can talk to others who understand what they are going through. Being a small charity, they get to know the people they support, building a community that reduces isolation and gives real hope.

Please donate what you can to support this charity, so people aren't left in the dark with this disease. If you would like to read more about the charity, please click here: https://omuk.org

If you'd like to come and support us on the day we'd love to see you around the course and at the finish line :)