Help Tom raise money for the Maggie's cancer centre

Hi everyone,

As some of you might be aware, in July this year I was diagnosed with colon cancer. After more than 10 years of living with Ulcerative Colitis the repeated inflammation caused some changes in my colon that led the cancer to forming. The day after my birthday this year I was at St James's hospital in Leeds having the cancer and my colon removed. This week I started my first cycle of chemotherapy to mop up any potential cancer cells left behind.

Seeing as I had a place in the 2024 Manchester half this October after signing up for the 2025 marathon I thought I had better use it to raise some money for a charity that stepped in on day one of my diagnosis to offer support to both me and Rachel. That charity was the Maggie's cancer support centre at St James's hospital.

The Maggie's charity operates across the UK and Ireland to provide all kinds of support to those who are affected by cancer, from offering health advise, to group support sessions and even benefit advice to those who are struggling financially. This is all done from their amazing centres around the UK, they act as a place patients and their families can go in-between treatments and appointments to spend sometime in a non-medical setting.

I would be grateful for any donations to try and raise some money to give something back to this amazing resource for cancer patients that I feel often isn't too close to the spotlight when we talk about fundraising for cancer.

I can't promise I will meet my pre treatment target of sub 1:25 but I will get round even if I have to crawl. This run comes 9 weeks post surgery and 4 days post chemotherapy. As those of you who follow me on Strava will know I got back on my feet and have been back to running for a few weeks now but this will be my furthest run post surgery.

Best wishes and many thanks

Tom

For those that haven't come across the charity before:

KESWICK JENCKS CANCER CARING CENTRES TRUST and every donation will help. Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me.

More information about THE MAGGIE KESWICK JENCKS CANCER CARING CENTRES TRUST: Maggie's provides free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and their family and friends.