Please consider sponsoring my brother...

[smurfomatic]

I'm hoping that posting this here doesn't break any rules, please move it if needed...

 

My brother. Despite the fact he's not done any serious running for some time, he decided to take on a challenge. Beginning in May last year, he took up running some events. To be precise, 6 half marathons and 8 marathons. In less than a year. The runs are all in aid of the British Heart Foundation, who do fantastic work in researching cardiac issues, as well as care and treatment for the victims and their families.

 

Why that number of events? Our Dad, a great and hard working man passed away suddenly in January last year at the age of 68. (Can you see where the numbers come from now? Well done!) His death was caused by an aortic aneursym, something that two of his siblings also suffered from (fortunately their condition was diagnosed in time to save their lives).

 

Just to make things even more difficult for himself (as if running all those events with minimal training due to workload wasn't bad enough) the last half-marathon and marathon are being done as "Bernie", the Northampton Saints rugby mascot. For those who don't know what the costume looks like, here's a photo of Gareth running in his final half-marathon:

 

 

As you can imagine, this is a fairly cmbersone outfit to run in. However, he'll be tackling the London Marathon on Sunday, to complete the challenge. If, after reading all this waffle, you're still interested, you can give your hard earned cash by going here: Gareth Robinson is fundraising for British Heart Foundation or by texting BARY68 £1 to 70070 (any amount can be used up to £10, depending on how generous you are feeling.

 

Thanks.

[witch]

My dad died of the same thing - they had diagnosed a small aneurism in his stomach but not in his aorta. When it went it just shredded. You say his siblings had it too - have you been checked? I don't know if my sister and I should be worried.

Anyway, I have donated what I can and please will you send him my good wishes

[smurfomatic]

Thanks for the donation. He has two sisters and one brother - one of his sister and his brother were both suffering around the age of 70, and Dad's came on a year or so earlier. The other sister has been checked and is fine, we've been told that it should be put on our notes to have a scan around the age of 50, which is a little way off for me...

[witch]

Hmmm

Not a way off for me...

[elsiegee40]

An aneursym took my Dad at age 67. In his case, it caused a brain haemorrhage. Donation made