Just before Christmas, my dad was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer, with only palliative care and maybe chemo as routes forward. It goes without saying that this was crushing and devastating news for us all. Pancreatic cancer carries very short prognoses given it is usually caught at such a late stage when it has already spread.

In my dad's case, we feared he had it earlier in 2023 but were blessed with a lifeline when cleared with "only" chronic pancreatitis. However, in the few months that followed, this progressed to stage 4 cancer before he was able to re-summon the attention of doctors.

This story speaks to the unforgiving and fast-developing nature of this illness. But also how, with different levels of support and observation, my dad's cancer could have been caught earlier, given the warning signs that were there.

There's not a huge amount I can do to help my dad while he faces this enormous journey, but I can show my support and love for him along the way.

One way I plan to do this is by training for and running my first ever marathon in support of Pancreatic Cancer UK.

I aim to raise £1000, which is enough to cover 4 days of research in one of their research innovation projects. I'll be proud to achieve this both in support of my dad and everyone else who tragically has to face this horrific diagnosis.

Thank you in advance for any donations, and I hope to do your donations justice with a quality showing at my debut marathon on May 26th!