On the 11th May I will be running the Bristol Half Marathon for Blood Cancer UK.

Each year around 40,000 people are diagnosed with a blood cancer in the UK, and about 280,000 people are currently living with blood cancer. Blood cancer is a type of cancer that affects your blood cells with leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma being the most common type of blood cancer.

As many of you will know nearly 2 years we lost an inspirational man Ben Dudley. He was a true inspiration to all and really was a role model to others. He always put himself first and always wanted to help people. It was never about it him it was always about everyone else even at the toughest points of his treatments. His dedication and love for hockey never went unnoticed often escaping hospital to come to training and games. He was the biggest cheerleader on the side of the pitch. A true gentlemen and badger of the game.

Perosnally. Without Ben, I would not be back playing hockey full stop. He supported me through a really rough patch of my life where I was told I probably would never play competitive hockey again. Ben did everything in his power to help me get back to hockey. When he found out about my injury and my interest to come to the University of Bristol he drove to my home club to watch my last game before surgery to see how he could support me and offered mw the role of 1st XI Manager in my first year of university to help me feel more connected to the team and to keep me occupied during my injury rehab. He also paid over £450 for me to be able to access a private sports physio so I could get back sooner but also stronger than before. I will always remember his reaction to when I stepped on the pitch for the first time in a Bristol shirt and will be a memory I treasurer for ever. Ben helped me to see the positives in my rehab, through the good and the bad times. He is truley one a kind person and miss him lots.

Ben had a huge impact on my life and I miss him lots and therefore I am running the Bristol half marathon in his memory and raising money for blood cancer UK so one day we can find a cure for this horrible illness. I would appreciate any donations no matter how big or how small ❤️.

“Don’t be sad it’s over, smile because it happened” Ben Dudley 2023