My Story
Dear Donors I hope to run my 20th London Marathon and my 22nd marathon overall on the 27th April 2025. Cancer is a subject close to my heart. My dear wife Celia became a victim in 1998 and my dear father Bappa -real name Vithal- in 1999. I am running in both their memories; but also in the memories of other dear ones, my mother Aai, grandmother Kaku, parents-in-law, Harry and Mary Merrall all of whom died of other causes. I have also lost a large number of friends and more distant relatives to that dreaded disease. I am sure most people can say the same thing. There is good news about cancer as well of course. I have friends living more or less normal lives who were hit by cancer up to 15 years ago. We have certainly made progress but we need to make much more. How's this for a cancer joke? BASEBALL IN HEAVEN. Two old baseball buddies with lung cancer were chatting on a park bench. Paul says, "I hope they have a baseball team in heaven." "Me too", says Jack. "Tell you what", says Paul, "If I die first, I'll give you a message about whether there is baseball in Heaven. If you die first, you can do the same for me." A year later, Paul is dead and Jack is sitting on the park bench when he hears: "Jack, it's me, Paul. I have great news! Guess what. There really is a baseball team in heaven." "Thank God", sighs Jack, "Now I can die in peace." "I'm glad you feel that way," says Paul, "because you're pitching tomorrow!
