First, I would like to thank all of you for kindly sponsoring me for my 2012 challenge to run 12 marathons to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
So far, fundraising stands at £2202.40 including the LV= charity match of £500, which is 44% towards my overall target of £5000.
With marathon number 5 just around the corner, I thought I would give you an update of how I've been getting on so far and give you an idea what you sponsorship money is doing to change the lives of hundreds of terminally ill children.
Since January this year, I have completed 4 full length marathons of 26.2 miles each, the last one being the Virgin London Marathon in April, and have 8 remaining to complete before the end of 2012. So far I have run approximately 400.78 miles since the challenge began, including training runs and the few races that I have taken part in around Bournemouth.
To put it in perspective, 400 miles is just short of the journey from Bournemouth to London and back, twice! This has taken me approximately 62 hours, and I'm only a third of the way through!
The races themselves have been going really well, and you can read all about them on my blog at http://tannerstwelve.blogspot.
The support that everyone has been giving me so far has been amazing and has really helped me keep going. A marathon itself is not an easy challenge, and so the challenge to do 12 in a year is something not to be taken lightly, but each step is in aid of a great cause and so it'll all be worth it in the end!
With two thirds of the challenge still to go, I have decided to up my challenge!
You have all been so generous so far, and so it's with a slight bit of cheek that i'm asking you all to dig a little deeper! I would be really greatful if you would all consider raising the amount you have donated by whatever you can, for the further challenge of me running over 1000 miles in 2012. Now, this sounds like a huge distance, and it really really is! 1000 miles is approximately the distance between Paris and Naples!
To give you an idea of what your money is going towards, here is a selection of some of the wishes that Make-A-Wish has granted so far this year:
17/04/2012 - Jordane is fourteen years old and suffers with type 2 spinal muscular atrophy, which is an incurable muscle-wasting disease. Jordanne's illness unfortunately restricts what she is able to do and so the opportunity to meet The Wanted was something extra. Jordanne travelled from Gloucester to Cardiff to meet the band at the first venue of their UK arena tour. Jordanne commented that "There wasn't one good moment, the whole thing was amazing! I'm still getting flustered and excited about it now. Thank you, Make-A-Wish, for everything you do and have done for me. That little bit of magic still brightens up my down days."
03/04/2012 - Three year old Allanya, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in January 2011, was granted her wish to be a princess for a day at the De Vere Cameron hotel in Loch Lomond. At the age of 2, Allanya had undergone a bone marrow lumbar puncture before a course of chemotherapy, causing her to lose all of her hair. Allanya will continue to undergo maintenance chemotherapy until March next year. Allanya's mother, Caroline, told Make-A-Wish: "Allany's wish came at such a perfect time - she had only come out of hospital the day before. Knowing we had the wish to look forward to got us through the seven days in hospital. Make-A-Wish really is an amazing and essential charity for children who are very poorly."
01/03/2012 - Six year old Max was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and within 3 days had started chemotherapy. Max has to undergo daily chemotherapy treatment at home and monthly in hospital. Max's wish to go on a lego shopping trip took the form of a trip to the London Lego store in Westfield where he was greeted by two stormtroopers - his favourite characters. Max spent three hours in the store before choosing the Lego Star Wars Death Star, which he started building the same day!
07/02/2012 - Fifteen year old Ryan was born prematurely with tracheo-oesophageal fistula. His granted wish took the form of meeting Alan Pardew from Newcastle United, who is Ryan's idol, a trip to Newcastle United's training ground for a tour and lunch with Alan Pardew and a few of the players, and finally, a seat in the director's box for the Newcastle United v Rangers match where he met the chairman and coaches. To help him remember the day, Alan gave Ryan his personal training shirt, signed, and he also received a goody bag and a pair of signed goalie gloves from Tim Krul.
Hopefully the extracts above will give you an understanding of the work of Make-A-Wish does and what the money I am attempting to raise will go towards. Alot of us take for granted benefits of good health and we often lose sight of how bad life can really get. For the children supported by Make-A-Wish, the money raised can help brighten up what most of us would see as a very bleak outlook and help to put a smile on their face.
There are two ways you can donate, either via the Justgiving page which can be found at www.justgiving.com/tannerstwelve or, via Justgiving text by sending a message of "TANN85 £5" to 70070. (the £5 can be £1, £2, £5 or £10).
Thanks for taking the time to read this and for your continued support.
All the best,
Rob.