For one Hamlet fan, the London Marathon is a chance to give something back to the people who have helped him through a major challenge in his life.

In just a few weeks, Paul Griffin will be running the London Marathon to raise money for Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital.

He will be at the game today shaking a bucket and asking for your kind donations. Taken from his Just Giving page, this is what Paul has to say:

If you’re wondering what drives me in my endeavours in taking on the challenge of London? For me it boils down to giving a little something back to the amazing people at Guys Hospital without whom it would be very unlikely to even be around today.

Back in October 2017 popped into A&E at Tommy’s with several abdominal pains & blood in my urine. Not long after I was in the ICU at Guy’s with a catheter pumping blood out of my bladder (I’ll spare you the more gruesome details!). Turned out to be Stage 3 Bladder Cancer, a form of the disease I didn’t even know existed until the consultant told me. It required radical surgery to remove the entire bladder to eliminate the cancer with my prostate coming out too for good measure. Even then not out of the woods as a CT scan a few weeks later showed a lump in my groin so ultrasound & more biopsies before being given the all clear in February last year.

Completing the Marathon is not just a way of raising money for Guys but raising awareness of a form of Cancer research into which is severely underfunded and showing that Cancer is not an end but the start of a second chance at life.

We wholeheartedly wish Paul the best of luck and hope that fans at our game today will be as generous as possible.

Good luck Paul and we hope to see some pink and blue in your marathon attire!

Paul’s Just Giving page can be found here:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/paul-griffin1893