Charities and Scottish Running Guide

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Mike And The Marvels Set To Perform

Breakthrough Breast Cancer hopes to raise £50,000 for the research unit at the Western General Hospital, through the efforts of Professor Mike Dixon and his team of fund raisers, Mike's Marvels.

Mike and the Marvels

Professor Mike Dixon, renowned breast surgeon and clinical lead of Breakthrough Breast Cancer's research unit at the Western General Hospital, is teaming up with three colleagues to run the Edinburgh Marathon team relay on May 27 and is hoping to raise £50,000.

Fortunately, Mike and his team will have the backing of other members of staff from the Western General and supporters of Breakthrough Breast Cancer who've formed into relay teams and will run under the collective name of Mike's Marvels. The Marvels still have available places so if you wanted to join Professor Mike and his friends, they'd be delighted to hear from you. The relay is 26 miles long in total, but it is broken up into four legs. These legs vary in length so runners don't need to be world class standard to take part!

Previous gigs for Mike and the Marvels include the Great North Run and Great Scottish Run half marathons and it's through these appearances that Mike has managed to raise a phenomenal £35,000 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer, well on the way to the £50,000 target.

Mike Dixon told scottishrunningguide.com: "I am well aware of the devastating impact that breast cancer has on thousands of women, men and their families. To save more women we must get better treatments, and that means fundraising to support life-saving research is essential. I urge anyone who is interested in joining me in this challenge to sign up. I have seen first hand how research makes a difference - together, we really can help to save lives.'

Susie Marsh, who has signed up to be one of Mike's Marvels and is running the Edinburgh Rock N Roll Marathon, said: "I think it is admirable that a man in Professor Dixon's position has chosen to dedicate so much of his own time to fundraising in this way. He deserves all our support! I definitely would not class myself as 'a runner' so I've found the training pretty tough. Now, I can't wait!

"As well as it being a huge personal achievement for myself, I hope to help raise awareness of Breakthrough Breast Cancer and the incredible work they do which will benefit breast cancer sufferers, like my Mum, and their families, not only now, but in the future."

Breakthrough Breast Cancer is committed to fighting breast cancer through finding the causes, enabling early detection, ensuring precise diagnosis, discovering new and better treatments and improving health services. In 2008, they opened the first and only dedicated breast cancer research unit in Scotland and are working to ensure women can have a future free from the fear of breast cancer.

To find out more about joining Mike's Marvels, contact Breakthrough's Scotland office on 0131 226 0761 or email mikesmarvels@breakthrough.org.uk

To make a donation, you can text 'MIKE09' and a donation of '£5' or'£10' to 70070 or head over to their JustGiving Page