Hello – thank you for visiting my fundraising page.

UPDATE

MARATHON UPDATE

Unfortunately, it was discovered at the last minute, that the Help for Heroes Marathon had been scheduled on the same day as the GAY PRIDE Parade, and with over 2.5 million people expected to attend or watch the event, the safety risk due to crowd size is unfortunately too high. On the advice of the Met Police, safety had to be the prime concern and therefore a last-minute change has had to be made.

WE ARE NOT GIVING UP

John and Natalia are still determined to complete the full marathon route. There is now one new additional attraction to help to promote more interest. The new date for the marathon will now be Friday 25th July.

A CONTEST WITH A PRIZE

Guess how many steps we’ll take from start to finish of the marathon! A photograph of John’s fitness watch will be taken by a H4H officiator on the start and finish of the event. The person with the nearest number to the step count, will win the amazing prize. I am personally purchasing and donating a £1,000 Bear Grills Adventure watch. I am hoping that by making this donation out of my own money will help to increase the interest and generate more money for such a good causes.

Here’s how to enter:

• Donate £20 or more via our JustGiving Page.

• Please leave any comment along with your donation. The last word of your comment should be your anticipated step count = E.g. 29,877

• For those that have already kindly donated, please donate a further £5 with the word – competition followed by the (number)

• Prize presentation will be within 2 weeks of the marathon completion.

• GOOD LUCK

It is intended that photographs will be taken throughout the marathon, and John will be wearing a tracker. A request has been made to have a H4H representative at the start and finish of the event as the official adjudicator.

READ THE FULL STORY BELLOW

On 2𝟱𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, I’ll be attempting something both incredibly personal and physically demanding: a half marathon on crutches, weaving around the military archives of London. I’ll be joined by my dear friend Natalia Ozynska, who’ll be carrying my oxygen, medication, spare crutches, and, quite possibly, helping me back to my feet when I fall (which I fully expect to happen more than once).

I have terminal cancer which has already attacked my lungs, lymph nodes and larynx. This makes walking extremely difficult, as my legs and feet swell up to twice their normal size. Having only one lung makes breathing very difficult, resulting in being continually out of breath. I am lucky though, as my EOL (end of life) prediction was April 2024. I hope to raise £𝟱,𝟬𝟬𝟬 for Help for Heroes a charity that is deeply close to my heart.

Please read my story.

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𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗺 𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀?

I served in the military for 32 years. At 16, I was involved in the Borneo crisis. At 17, I was in Aden. Later, I was in the Falklands, where I lost many good friends. What struck me then—and still pains me now—was how little support our injured servicemen and women received after the Falklands.

Since leaving the forces, I’ve committed myself to helping others. Back in 1979, I cycled 350 miles in a single day to raise funds for the Gunnar Neilson Cancer Research Fund. The goal was to help build the UK’s first 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿. Over 40 years later, I found myself back at 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗲, taking part in a trial that uses that very same technology to treat my cancer.

Life has a way of coming full circle.

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𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱

I was told I wouldn’t live past April 2024. But I’m still here—still walking, still fighting, and still trying to give something back.

I’ve never smoked, never drank, and always kept myself fit. But cancer doesn’t discriminate. I’ve sat beside children in The Christie, waiting for their radiotherapy before school. It’s a sobering reminder that 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 might need help, at any time. And when that time comes, 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.

I want this campaign to show that 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.

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𝗔 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂

I want to give a heartfelt thank you to 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗢𝘇𝘆𝗻𝘀𝗸𝗮. Her support is absolutely vital for this challenge.

I simply couldn't do this without her.

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𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽

🙏 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲 – even the smallest donation means more than you can imagine.

🏃 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 – if you’d like to take part and join the hike with us, please contact Natalia (natalia.ozynska@supatrak.com) for more details.

📢 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 – every share helps this story reach someone who might be inspired to help, or even just to hope.

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𝗔 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁

I want to use this “bonus time” to say 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 to those who stood by me, and to pass that love forward to others who need it.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for believing. And thank you, in advance, for standing beside me.

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𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲...

This may be my biggest challenge yet — but it’s not my last.

On 𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, I’ll also be taking part in Tour de 4, another incredible event raising money for The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

So please 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱, stay connected, and if you’re able to support or spread the word again later this year, I’d be truly grateful.

Together, we can make a real difference — one step, one mile, one act of kindness at a time.

John