Our idea of running a half marathon came about when we were sitting on the beach down in Lyme Regis after a few bevs with a group of friends. We both wanted to raise money in memory of our friend who we lost early last year to Melanoma.

The number of people developing melanoma is rising and it is now the 5th most common cancer in the UK. Approximately 16,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with melanoma each year, though 86% of melanoma cases in the UK are preventable.6

In the UK, the risk of melanoma increases with age, however the number of melanoma cases diagnosed in young people is disproportionately high. In fact, melanoma is one of the most common cancers in people aged 15–34.

When melanoma has spread around the body it is known as stage 4 or metastatic melanoma. When the disease gets to this stage, it is sadly notoriously difficult to treat. The standard treatment is only effective in a small number of cases and is highly unlikely to produce a cureIn recent years, scientists have been working tirelessly in trying to find a cure for melanoma. Sadly, we have not reached this point yet, but in November 2012 after many appraisals that we were a part of, two new drugs, Ipilimumab and Vemurafenib were given approval for use on the NHS. These drugs, whilst not a cure, have been proven to extend the lives of late-stage melanoma patients. This will make a huge difference in the lives of patients and their families.