I have been a patient at The Royal Marsden Hospital since I was diagnosed with advanced Stage 3 prostate cancer last year.

By the time my disease was discovered it was highly aggressive and started to spread. Twenty years ago this would have been a death sentence.

Now, thanks to the skill and general brilliance of the medical team treating me at this extraordinary world centre of excellence, I am looking at a total cure.

I've still got some way to go on my cancer journey but I'll get there.

However, no matter how many more years of life I have been given, I will never be able to repay even a fraction of the debt of gratitude I owe to The Royal Marsden Hospital and the remarkable people who work there.

You have to start somewhere though - which is why on October 11 I will be running the Royal Parks Half Marathon to raise money for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity endeavours to improve the lives of people affected by cancer. It ensures The Royal Marsden’s world-leading nurses, doctors and research teams can provide the very best care and develop life-saving treatments, which are used across the UK and around the world.

From funding state-of-the-art equipment and groundbreaking research, to creating the very best patient environments, it never stops looking for ways to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.

At some point cancer will impact almost everyone, either directly or indirectly.

Most cancers are now more treatable than ever - but the disease still kills far too many people.

I am running to help support more pioneering research so that in future fewer people - ideally nobody - needs to be told their cancer is terminal.

Thank you for reading this and for your support.

Please give as generously as you can.