To celebrate turning 40 in 2008, I'm planning to run (!) the London Marathon to raise money for Christie's.   

As you will see from the text on the left, Christie's treats over 40,000 patients a year.  One of those 40,000 in 2007 was my mum who underwent chemotherapy for advanced bowel cancer.  I went along with mum on a few occasions and was overwhelmed by the friendliness and professionalism of the staff and the sheer number of patients being seen. 

Mum passed away on 22 January 2008.  This is my small way of saying thank you to some of those who worked so hard to make her last year as bearable as possible and to help them continue their excellent work towards finding a future without cancer.

Obviously what I would really like for my birthday is to have my mum by my side.  As that's not possible, I guess the next best thing is to try and raise as much money in Mum's memory so that someone else can have their mum by their side for longer.  That's why I don't want any birthday presents this year - just a small (or large!) amount of sponsorship will do.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Christie's will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So please sponsor me now!

Many thanks for your support.