Running to Fundraise for Skin Cancer

Hey everyone!

I’m currently training to run the Taniwha Marathon next month and have chosen to fundraise for Melanoma New Zealand.

Skin cancer is incredibly common in New Zealand, and it’s also one of the most preventable with awareness and early detection. It’s affected family, friends, and more recently, myself. I didn’t realise just how common it was until I had a dark spot on my neck checked one random Wednesday afternoon. Finding out it was melanoma came as a shock and made me think about how serious it could have been if it had gone unnoticed.

On a lighter note, I actually got the news while I was in a 7/11 in Japan making one of those self-serve smoothie things, so I was stoked with my breakfast:)

The whole experience showed me how suddenly cancer can enter your life, and how important awareness, early detection, and support are - especially for whānau across Aotearoa.

I originally started training for this marathon as a personal challenge, but running for this cause gives it a lot more meaning (and honestly, I’ll need all the motivation I can get).

If you’d like to donate, I’d be incredibly grateful. All funds go directly to Melanoma New Zealand (a non-government funded organisation), supporting education, awareness, research, and one-on-one care for those affected.

Consider this your reminder to go get checked.

Cheers, and thank you so much for your support 💛