Team GTF will be fundraising for the Geoff Thomas Foundation, which is trying to establish a blood cancer treatment network at six centres of excellence in the UK, including Birmingham’s University Hospital.

In 2003, Geoff was given only weeks to live after contracting leukaemia but doctors at the hospital saved his life with a stem-cell transplant. Since then, Geoff has raised around £1 million for leukaemia research. His fundraising efforts have included twice riding the Tour de France route and running the London and New York marathons.

Geoff Thomas (left) with runners Gillian Brooks and Dave Heeley

The Geoff Thomas Foundation is one of the chosen charities for the Birmingham Half Marathon on October 11^th which incorporates the IAAF World Championships.

Geoff said: “We’re really proud and grateful to be a charity partner of the Birmingham Half Marathon. Running and fundraising go hand-in-hand and it’s been a big part of what we do at the Foundation. We’ve had some of our best moments when we’ve been out pounding the streets. New York was an amazing experience last year and with Birmingham also hosting an IAAF world event this year, there’s going to be a real buzz about the city. Hopefully, it’ll give us all a taste of what it’ll be like in London in 2012.

Geoff Thomas (second left) with runners in this year’s Birmingham Half Marathon

“We’re hoping to persuade a few of my football and sporting mates to join us and it would be wonderful if we could get a really big team of football fans and club runners to run in Birmingham in the GTF kit to raise some money for us.”

Anyone wishing to join Team GTF for the EDF Energy Birmingham Half Marathon can contact: becky@geoffthomasfoundation.com or call 07796 681299. For more information about the GTF: www.geoffthomasfoundation.com For details of the EDF Energy Birmingham Half Marathon: www.birminghamhalfmarathon.com.