In June 2014, my daughter Emily was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour known as a
craniopharygioma. She underwent two long and difficult operations at Great Ormond Street Hospital, followed by a six-week course of Proton beam therapy in Jacksonville, Florida. Since then, she has had further surgery at GOSH to improve blood flow in her brain after suffering from two strokes in March 2016.

Thanks to the world-class treatment and outstanding care she has received at Great Ormond Street, she has made remarkable progress, overcoming each of these difficult hurdles with strength and determination. Emily is now enjoying Year 1 at school, where she enjoys doing all the things that children her age should – learning to read and write, drawing and painting, playing sport, singing and dancing. She has ongoing needs with limited vision and complex hormone replacement medication, but with the continuing support of GOSH and many other associated health professionals, her teachers, her friends and family, she is living a normal life full of happiness and opportunity. As her parents, it doesn’t bear thinking about where we would be now without the treatment and support that Emily has had at GOSH, and we owe them a great debt of gratitude.

Back in 2015 I ran my first London Marathon for GOSH, and through the great generosity of so many friends and supporters, I was privileged to raise £20,595.84. Last year, in 2016, I was able to add another £18,825.78 to this total, thanks once again to overwhelming support from many people.  By running the 2017 London Marathon for GOSH, I would dearly like to reach a total of £50,000 – which means raising another £10,578.38.

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity does such important work raising money which not only helps fund the best possible medical care for children in need,
but also to provide for families all those things which make a difficult situation more manageable - accommodation, play facilities, catering facilities and support staff, for example. If, by running the marathon again in 2017, I can make a difference to the lives of even one or two GOSH families, then it is worth every one of the 26 miles.

Please do help if you can! Thank you, again, for your support.