Paul Russell
Running for Rosie - London Marathon 2016
Fundraising for Hope Support Services
Story
I am raising money for Hope Support Services on behalf of The Knock On Effect. (https://theknockoneffect.wordpress.com/)
Since Rosie created The Knock On Effect in 2009 they have raised around £47,000 for cancer charities in the UK.
This year they are aiming to get to the £50,000 mark, and I am going to help them.
Here's why. . .
In 2011 I had just got home from handing in a uni assignment at 10 in the morning, still drunk and in the clothes from the night before. I checked my Facebook to find a status on my newsfeed that in all honesty, changed my life.
The status was an angry one-
Someone angry that her Facebook friends were choosing to destroy their bodies with alcohol and fags, whilst she was fighting a rare form of cancer, which had recently turned terminal. I couldn't help but feel instantly guilty-Rosie Kilburn was completely right. Although I was not the wildest of students, I was at a point where I was failing my course, going out two or three times a week and not looking after myself. .
I went back through all of her blog posts, Although we were Facebook friends, we hardly knew of each other, I don't think we had ever spoken. It turned out that whilst I had been drinking my liver away, Rosie had been fighting cancer for two years in an extraordinary way: she had set up her own blog, a charity art auction and her own not for profit business to raise thousands of pounds for cancer charities.
Rosie's story gave me the kick start I needed. I started looking after myself; I started running, I joined a gym, I went out less, I studied more, I graduated, I got a job. I put my health first; both physically and mentally. Those who know me well will agree with me when I say that my life has improved dramatically & Rosie inspired me to do so.
But of course, Rosie would have given anything to have those luxuries- yet she left this world in 2009, aged 19. Only 15 hours before she died, she renewed the domain for her blog- she wanted her story to live on through her family, friends, and the thousands of people who like me have been changed by Rosie's story.
I've always wanted to give something back to Rosie, and getting in to the London Marathon has given me the perfect opportunity.
Over the next 16 weeks I will be out in all weathers training for the 26.2 miles.
Any contribution to sponsor me would be greatly appreciated.
If you are interested in Rosie's story please take a few spare minutes to look at the amazing work that 'The Knock On Effect' have been up to.
https://theknockoneffect.wordpress.com/