I will be running the Marathon Des Sables with my great friend and flatmate James Green. The October MDS is a 3 stage, 4 day, 120km ultra marathon through the Sahara, all while carrying everything we need to survive - food, water, emergency equipment - the lot!

We are raising money for two separate causes, both close to our hearts. James will be raising money for the Alzheimer's Society, and the link to his page is below, along with a link detailing more about the MDS:

https://www.justgiving.com/page/james-green-max-bromwich

https://www.halfmarathondessables.com/morocco

I will be running to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital, as part of the amazing Team Hatch (set up by James Hatchley). I'm extremely grateful to James H (Hatch) for allowing me to join Team Hatch, and giving me the opportunity to race in Emma's memory. As outlined below, each and every donation will make a tangible difference.

The Hatchley's have been our neighbours and friends for many years. Led by James & Rhona, they had three wonderful daughters; Kitty, Emma & Annabel. Emma led a wonderful life as a beautiful daughter, sister and friend for over 15 very happy years, until suddenly her health unexpectedly deteriorated in early 2014. Everyone suspected some form of lung disorder, but eventually this diagnosis was revised, and she was sent for a medical review at GOSH where she suffered sudden and unexpected heart failure. She actually had a dreadful and extremely rare disease called Churg Strauss Syndrome (a form of vasculitis), which unbeknown to anyone, had badly damaged her heart and other organs.

For the next 102 days the wonderful surgeons, doctors, and nurses at GOSH across over 30 departments, closely supported by Emma's family and friends, did absolutely everything in their collective power to save, stabilise and give Emma the chance of returning to a normal life. Emma's journey was always at the extremes of medicine and when her own heart could not be saved she was lucky enough to be given a transplant. Emma faced it all with courage and bravery but very sadly lost her battle on 30th May, 2014. The compassion, skill, love and friendship extended to Emma and her family by the staff of GOSH was humbling and the work they do is simply amazing.

It was out of this awful event that Team Hatch was born. The exploits of this group are far too numerous to cover in full detail, but what started out as a triathlon group has grown into an incredible collection of individuals competing in everything from Iron Mans to Ultra Runs; to date they have raised well over £1 million.

These funds have gone towards many different parts of Great Ormond Street (details of which are included on the main page). In 2024, funds raised by Team Hatch will go in part to continue pushing research boundaries by supporting Professor Paul Brogan and his team, investigating the diagnosis and treatment of serious auto inflammatory conditions such as forms of vasculitis. This area still accounts for 100 new referrals and 300 patients under follow-up care each year in GOSHs rheumatology department and as the Hatchley family sadly knows, there can be devastating results if these conditions are not diagnosed early and treated effectively. Additional funds will be directed to help the hospital in its quest towards opening a world leading Cancer Centre and improving the stock of family accommodation so parents can be by their child's bedside at critical points in their journey at GOSH.