This year Leighann, Ashleigh and Tom will be taking part in The Great North Run to help raise vital funds for Bowel Cancer UK.

In 2016 Leighann's husband, Ashleigh and Tom's brother in law, was diagnosed with bowel cancer. At the time he was just 35 years old. If it was not for the consistent research and developments Bowel Cancer UK undertake, there is a high chance Ric would not be here to see his then 9 year old and 16 month old grow to be the amazing young women they are becoming today.

Ric had started to be unwell for a couple of months and although the NHS were eventually great at sending him for all the appropriate checks, at every appointment he was told, you're far too young to have bowel cancer, which is just ridiculous. Bowel cancer does not wait for you to hit pension age. It is because of Bowel Cancer UK and their fight to raise awareness of this, that Ric was seen and treated before this disease could travel elsewhere in his body.

There was a great team surrounding Ric along the way but Bowel Cancer UK are one of the first steps in fighting this battle. They are the UK's leading bowel cancer charity and are determined to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer. Because of them, we still have a father, husband, son, nephew, brother in law, son in law, uncle and friend to share our time with, we are so fortunate. Ric is now officially cancer free and we get the joy of him every single day!

Bowel cancer is the UK's second biggest cancer killer with over 16,000 people dying annually of a disease that is preventable, treatable and curable. We are determined to help Bowel Cancer UK to change that.

The money you donate will help to provide support and information to patients and their families, enable them to fund and support research into bowel cancer and to campaign for early diagnosis and best treatment and care for all.

Thank you for taking the time to read about our journey.