Hi, my name is Dylan, and this past September I very suddenly lost my Dad.

Anyone who knew him will know how active he was and how seriously he took his health and wellbeing. I still find it incredibly hard to understand how someone so fit and healthy could pass away so unexpectedly, and I’m still very much in a state of disbelief.

This March, I, alongside my friends Josh, Stewart, and Jack will be running the Rome Marathon in support of Health Research Charities Ireland (HRCI). HRCI brings together a wide range of health research charities across areas such as cancer, rare disease, mental health, disability, dementia and chronic illness. Rather than focusing on just one condition, it strengthens many charities at once, helping to ensure research is better designed, better funded, and more focused on what truly matters to patients and families.

As we are still unsure of the exact cause of my Dad’s death, I wanted to support a charity that works to reduce the risk of sudden and unexpected losses like this. By supporting vital health research, HRCI helps improve understanding of underlying conditions and risk factors, with the aim of preventing similar tragedies in the future.

Any support would mean a great deal — not just to me, but to the many families who could benefit from this research.