Running the Izmir Marathon for MSF

Running the Izmir Marathon for MSF

I will be running the full 42km Izmir Marathon in Turkey on April 21 2024 to fundraise for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). The organisation is doing vital, life-saving work in Gaza and other conflict-stricken places around the world.

I have seen the impact of MSF's work, which provides physical and mental health care in conflict, zones affected by natural disasters and epidemics irrespective of gender, race, creed, religion or political convictions. In conflict situations, MSF continues - crucially - to support communities after the fighting subsides, when needs for things like psychological support, prosthetic limbs and care for chronic illnesses continue. They operate in many places that other organisations do not reach. They save lives.

MSF currently has teams in Gaza, where 23,000 people have been killed in Israel's military operations that started after Hamas' deadly Oct 7 attack. Tens of thousands of civilians have been wounded.

Doctors in Gaza are working under horrific circumstances: hospitals are overflowing with war-wounded and the limited aid deliveries arriving in the Palestinian enclave means there are insufficient supplies of basics like painkillers and antiseptics.

It is extremely dangerous work, too: four MSF staff have been killed since the beginning of the war, in addition to numerous family members.

I am covering all the costs associated with running the marathon (transport, accommodation in Izmir etc) myself.

Your donations will go straight to MSF to help them with their life saving work.

Thank you so much.