My mum, Debbie Large, died of pancreatic cancer on 9th March 2024. It broke all our hearts, she was only 64 and had so much more still to live for.

I started running (short distances!) while mum was ill and I was splitting my time between my daily life in Bristol and spending time with mum in Kent. I decided to sign up for the 3 Castles 50KM as it starts in Rochester and ends in Tonbridge Wells, thinking that it was close enough for mum to be able to come and watch me cross the finish line and that I had plenty of time to build up my training for such a distance. Sadly, she died soon after I signed up for the race and it breaks me that she won't be there and I can't ever tell her all about it.

However, mum was tough and so am I so I decided (after an initial running hiatus) that I was going to do it anyway. Although my training didn't get off to the ideal start, I have steadily trained over the last few weeks, building up my distance running, pushing myself to what feels like my physical and mental limits at times. But on each run I remind myself that this is nothing compared to what mum had to go through- and she did so with such dignity, courage and kindness even when it must have been gruelling and terrifying for her. So I'm doing the 50KM whatever it takes, knowing that I will be the runner who gets 200th place (there are 200 runners!). It won't be fast, it won't be pretty (fun fact: I have my own health battles in Ulcerative Colitis which adds to distance running challenges!), but I will do it!!

I feel very strongly about why I want to support Pancreatic Cancer UK:

It’s unacceptable that more than half of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer die within 3 months. Survival rates have improved enormously for most cancers, yet for pancreatic cancer, this is not the case.

Pancreatic Cancer UK is dedicated to taking on this injustice using every possible means. They're supporting people with pancreatic cancer now, campaigning, and funding vital research to transform the future. Help them to make the breakthroughs that people with pancreatic cancer so desperately need.

Please sponsor me and help me achieve the unachievable!!! 50KM here I come!