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As you may know, my superhero father (Ron Golding) is currently battling cancer, which originated in his lung. He really is an inspiration taking on the fight against this awful disease like the strong spirit he is. He makes me prouder and more grateful by the day to be his daughter and have him as my dad. Therefore, I want to run Petra for him. 

Hot off the heels of the Dubai marathon in January, my trusted running buddies Milan, David and I decided to enter the Petra Desert Marathon which is taking place on 3 September 2016. Having seen first-hand how devastating the effects of lung cancer can be if not caught quickly, I have decided to use this opportunity to raise funds for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. I want to support the charity's work in raising the profile of the disease and thereby encouraging those more fortunate than my dad to be able to detect the symptoms in the early stage.

The Petra race is a challenging adventure marathon set in the beautiful desert region of Jordan. Starting in the ancient city of Petra, from the lunar-like mountain landscape to the arid desert, runners navigate challenging terrain with an ascent of roughly 1,200m and a decent of 1,100m in the dry, desert heat.

The fastest finisher in the marathon was +4hours which gives an indication of the course difficulty and why we decided the half marathon would be challenging enough ;-)

The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation aims to provide help and hope to people affected by lung cancer. For a multitude of reasons this charity seemed the natural choice to run for. Not only did my dad's cancer originate in the lung, the charity was founded in Liverpool (across the Mersey from my dad's hometown Birkenhead) and Sir Alex Ferguson, who managed my dad's second favourite football team, (Tranmere Rovers will always be closest to his heart) is amongst the charity's celebrity supporters :-).

The charity has a dual focus - saving lives and supporting people affected by lung cancer. It funds research, supports prevention and raises general awareness of lung cancer and its symptoms. It supports lung cancer patients by running support groups, providing information to the NHS and other measures. 

Thank you for taking the time to visit my page and to read about a cause I believe in so strongly. Any and all contributions make a difference and progress against this disease together with the positive vibes sent by all to accompany dad on his fight are the greatest gifts I could wish for right now.   

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.