How did you choose your charity?

Mornin' all. I know that a lot of us are running for a charity, whether or not we got in through the ballot or got a gold bond place. Being a nosey soul I'd love to know how you chose which charity!

I'm running for the British Heart Foundation. I wasn't going to raise money but then my dad died last November, and I heard that we'd got in through the ballot a week later (as did my husband). It seemed like fate! Dad had a triple heart bypass in 1995 and we do feel that he was gifted an extra 12 years of relatively healthy life, during which he had 5 grandchildren!

He was a lovely, kind and gentle man and I miss him terribly. But the training has helped channel the grief in a constructive way, and at least I feel that I'm doing something positive in dad's memory. Hopefully he'll be watching over me on Sunday.

Lizzy x

Hi Lizzy,
Im running got Great Ormond Street Childrens Charity, i chose this charity because soemone i know has a little boy who is in and out of there all the time and i would like to think that i can help raise money for a hospital that does such good work for children and there familys.
Lucy x

Hd big back op in 2000 and hence running for BACKCARE

My wife and I have lost 5 babies to miscarriage so it was Tommys then baby charity for me as in 2006.

Help the Hospices for me, my Granddad was cared for by the local hospice in 2007, they really do allow people to spend there last period of time on this planet with diginity and the utmost care. The work they do is amazing.

All charities do such amazing work, so which ever one you are running for well done. You will have a positive impact on someones life who you will never meet, but they will appreciate more then you can ever know.

Running for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation as my eldest son was diagnosed only a year and a half ago so want to help raise money to find a cure and prevent him injecting for the rest of his life.

I've run for several charities in my previous 12 Londons, including Guide Dogs, Heart FOundation, Leukaemia Research (in memory of my dad who died 3 years ago), and several local charities here in Liverpool, THis year year I'm running for The SHyLowen Horse and Pony Sanctuary in North Liverpool, which rescues and cares for abused and neglected animals.
www.justgiving.com/rogerlyon

I chose to run for Cancer Research UK. My father, William Ralph Sutherland, died from cancer in 2004.

He made sure people around him were to lead their lives, without any fuss around hime. As he was suffering, my father wanted to show his family and friends around him to lead a normal life and as I have expereince an emotional journey supporting my father during the difficult 6 months, I wished nobody to experience what I had. Which is why I want to play a part in the battle against it.

BE POSITIVE

Edited Tue 8th Apr 2008 9:48 am by rdsutherland

I'm running for the Stroke Association as I have worked on a stroke ward as a dietitian so I have seen first hand how debilitating strokes can be.

Even though 12 people in the UK have a stroke every hour, I think it is a condition that does not have a particularly high profile so any awareness raising is a bonus.

Hello

I am lucky to have two healthy sons 11 & 12 . However our first baby did not survive pregnancy . If our baby had survived , we would of needed support fron charities like Whizz Kids.

I selected whizz kidz because of all the great work they do for disabled children.

I will be running in my whizz kidz blue/yellow shirt with Nick on the front

My wife and boys will be supporting wearing the whizz kidz winged hats.

My wife ran for my charity last year and asked if i would be interested in helping them this year,TORCH is the Orthopeadic Hospital's appeal for helping children with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and mobility problems, having two fit and healthy girls 9 and 6 years old, i think its heart breaking to see children with-out full mobility , when my girls are running, jumping, playing, loving and living life to the full, as all children should, so if i can help make a differance big or small i will will feel extremly proud
:P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P

i'm running for ARTHRITIS RESEARCH CAMPAIGN (ARC)
in memory of my grandad who suffered really badly with this disease and didnt complain at all .
so this is for grandad

Raven1xx

Hi all,

I'm running for Cancer Research UK, as I work in the Northern Institute of Cancer Research at Newcastle uni - a lot of our work and equipment is funded by CRUK, so I see 1st hand what a difference any extra funds make to the research - there's a lot of people with a lot of good ideas on how to beat cancer, what we need is the funds to go from 'concept to clinic'.

I'm also having my hair dyed bright blue tomorrow to match my CRUK running Tshirt!

Great to know so many people are running for such great causes, should provide some inspiration to keep going if we hit the 'dreaded wall'!

I'm running for ARC - Arthritis Research Campaign so it was pretty easy to choose as My Mum suffers from arthritis and I was diagnosed with it when I was 26. I'm only 32 now so hoping to be an inspiration to other arthritis sufferers young and old.

Gonna be doing this marathon for my Mum who will be in hospital having a knee operation due to arthritis when I'm running, so I'm even more determined to do well and raise loads of money.

I'm running for Dog's Trust as I've always loved dogs, in fact my earliest memory is going to get our first 2 labradors Martha and Prudie when I was about 3. Whatever love you give them they will give it back tenfold and when my last dog Jake was put down last July I promised him I'd run the marathon to make sure all dogs could be as loved as he was. Watching Dog Rescue on a Sunday afternoon (filmed mostly at Dogs Trust Harefield) makes me absolutely sure of my choice as there are dogs that have suffered so much at the hands of humans that they have in no way deserved.

Everyone has a story....that's what makes the FLM so humbling....
I run for CLIC Sargent because my youngest son, Ollie, was diagnosed with cancer 2 weeks before his second birthday, in 2001. It was a parent's worst nightmare and our lives were turned upside down. I'm really glad to say that he has just celebrated his 9th birthday and he's as fit as a flea!!! We are so incredibly lucky to have him and are heavily involved in fundraising for this fabulous charity. This will be my 3rd FLM and when it starts to hurt, and it will, I think of all that my little boy had to endure and think 'this is nothing'. he is my inspiration and motivation to run. He's my walking miracle! Good luck to everyone. Think of why you are embarking on this run and I guarantee it will help you through the last few painful miles! XX

I am always being asked when i am going to do one of my runs for sponsership . My answer has always been the same the runs i enter are well within my remit apart from the Marathon which would be a challange for me to run . So when i got my place through the Club ballot i decided as this would be my only marathon i would run for charity . I chose the Spinal Injuries Association because i believe a lot of people rely on it and also i know one of the employees , so we never know when we may need the help of the various charities available . At the end of the day our well being is a gift and we never know when the hand of fate will take it away . So if anyone reading this thread has not decided on a charity to run, for it may be to late for this run but maybe you could raise funds in one of your other runs. :wink:

Running for Marie Curie mainly due to the fact that most of my and my wife's grandparents have suffered with Cancer. Ironically since signing up my surviving Nan has started receiving help for terminal cancer (actually from MacMillan Nurses but as these are a similar group I don't see the distinction for the purposes of Sunday).

Wow - typing this has made me realise how much this part of why I am running means to me. A motivator for sure.

Good Luck all!

running for help the hospices to for the weldmar hospice in Dorchester where as iman said looked after my Mum for the last few weeks of her life lovly place need all the help they can will try and run for them next year to if i make it on Sunday . Did you ever get your running vest iman :?: :D :D good luck to everyone on Sunday

Running for MENCAP. Two of my aunts have Downs Syndrome and I have seen just how benefical this charity is for them.

Edited Tue 8th Apr 2008 1:07 pm by summer2008