I am going to run the 2024 London Marathon to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. "Why Cystic Fibrosis", I hear you ask (after laughing at the idea of me attempting to run a marathon). Fortunately I don't have Cystic Fibrosis, and nor do any of my family or close friends. However, my Dad has been researching, treating and talking about Cystic Fibrosis for a large chunk of his working life. So much so that he claims to be some kind of expert on the matter, and appears to have fooled other people into believing this to be true. Ok in all seriousness he does know his stuff and as I have gotten older and learned to do outlandish grown-up things like "working hard", "improving" and "being vaguely competent", my admiration and respect for the incredible amount of hard work and dedication it must take to truly excel at something has increased along the way. Coupled with that is a deep admiration for anyone whose key motivation for doing things is helping others. Selfish is a default setting, there's nothing wrong with being a bit selfish from time to time but dedicating large parts of your life to trying to improve other people's should be applauded. My Dad also happens to turn 70 a few days after the London Marathon so this feels like the perfect time, and way, to honour his work (and save some money on buying him a birthday present). But this isn't just about my old man, that's just the icing on the cake. Long after he hangs up his stethoscope (never seen him use it, I think it's a prop), Cystic Fibrosis will still be a reality. There is currently no cure, but life expectancy has continued to improve thanks to continued research funded by the likes of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. It's also not just about extending life, it's about continuing to improve the quality of that life. As it stands the average patient has to take 60 tablets A DAY. Six zero. The average human being struggles to remember to take a full course of antibiotics (if this was a science journal I'd have to back this "fact" that I just pulled out of the air up with some kind of citation, another reason I stayed well away from following in my father's footsteps). Furthermore, as a parent, I can state with absolute certainty that I have no idea how to raise a child properly. My technique is one part "What did my parents do?", several parts "I hope my wife can figure this one out", more "shout a lot" than I'd care to admit and a healthy dose of "winging it". Kids don't come with manuals, and nor do kids with Cystic Fibrosis. Fortunately, the Cystic Fibrosis Trust provides support for families of Cystic Fibrosis patients. Or in their own, far more coherent words: "The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is the only UK-wide charity dedicated to fighting for a life unlimited by cystic fibrosis (CF) for everyone affected by the condition. Since we started in 1964 we have dedicated ourselves to promoting excellence in research and clinical care, as well as providing practical support and advice to people with CF and their families. Our mission is to create a world where being born with CF no longer means a life-long struggle". I'm going to struggle to breathe for however long it takes me to cover 26.2 miles, Cystic Fibrosis sufferers will struggle to breathe for a lifetime without the generosity of people like you, please dig deep. Thank you.
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