After 13 years of failed ballots and applications.

On 24th April, I’ll be taking on the London Marathon to raise money for Bliss, an incredible charity that supports babies born premature or sick, along with their families.

This cause is deeply personal to me. My niece, Immi, entered the world far too soon at just 25 weeks, weighing only 1lb 0.5oz (469g in new money!). So small she could fit into the palm of a hand, yet already showing a strength that most of us could only dream of.

What followed was a journey no family should ever have to face: 212 days in the neonatal unit and Children’s Hospital, endless uncertainty, and moments where doctors warned it was touch and go.

After seven long months, Immi finally came home—but the journey didn't end at the hospital doors. Today, Immi lives with chronic lung disease and requires a ventilator at night, multiple hospital appointments every week, and 24/7 nursing support at home. Yet, through every single challenge, she continues to fight and thrive with that same remarkable spirit.

Watching my brother and his wife live through this changed me. I saw fear, heartbreak, and exhaustion, but I also witnessed extraordinary courage, unconditional love, and an unwavering determination to give their daughter everything. Their strength, alongside Immi’s incredible fighting spirit, is something I will never forget. I am in complete awe of all three of them.

No parent expects to begin their journey surrounded by incubators, wires, and life-support machines, but thousands do every year. Bliss is there in those darkest moments—funding critical research, training health professionals, and providing vital support and guidance to families navigating both the hospital stay and the reality of life after neonatal care.

When the miles get tough during the marathon, I’ll think of Immi. I’ll think of a tiny baby who refused to give up. I’ll think of my brother and his wife, who show unimaginable strength every single day. Compared to what they endure, 26.2 miles is nothing.

If you can spare anything at all, no matter how small, it will help Bliss continue their life-changing work for the 90,000 babies born needing neonatal care in the UK every year. Thank you for supporting me, but more importantly, thank you for supporting these incredible babies and families.