Flora runs the Rotterdam Marathon 2023

I will be running the Rotterdam Marathon on Sunday 16 April 2023, in memory of my wonderful, special boyfriend Boris who died suddenly in July 2022.

Running has been a passion of mine since the 2020 lockdowns, and in the difficult days, weeks and months after Boris’ death it became even more of a solace. Doing a marathon in his beloved hometown seems particularly apt, and I will be fundraising for two charities in his honour, Diabetes Fonds Nederland and The BEARR Trust.

Please note: I am unable to set up a joint fundraising page for these two charities. If you’d like to donate to The BEARR Trust please use this page. If you’d like to donate to Diabetes Fonds Nederland please use this link.

About the charities:

Diabetes Fonds Nederland: Unbeknownst to Boris, he had Type 1 Diabetes. Devastatingly, he was never diagnosed with the condition, and died from a serious and rare complication. Diabetes Fonds is the largest funder of research into diabetes in the Netherlands, with the ultimate aim of finding a cure for Type 1 Diabetes and saving lives.

The BEARR Trust: The BEARR Trust partners with charitable organisations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia to deliver health and social welfare projects in the region. Boris was an accomplished scholar of Eastern Europe at Undergraduate and Masters level, and spent time working in St Petersburg and Warsaw. He had travelled extensively across the region, regaling friends, family and colleagues with tales from his adventures. His love for Ukraine in particular stemmed from numerous memorable trips to the country, including participating in an election-observing mission during the 2019 presidential elections. This year the work of the BEARR Trust has particularly focussed on urgent humanitarian aid for vulnerable Ukrainian people, following the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, and this fund would mean a lot to Boris.

I would be enormously grateful for any donations you can make to either charity – let’s make Boris proud.