In October 2010 Vanessa qualified for the NYC Marathon by blitzing a half marathon in Melbourne. She felt dizzy after the race, but she'd run a half marathon so didn't think anything of it.

Two weeks later she was rushed to hospital where she had emergency brain surgery to remove a large brain tumour.
Being a crazy-fit and energetic person Vanessa quickly went from not being able to walk, to doing endless laps of the neuro ward. Not surprisingly her neurosurgeon released her from hospital a week early with the proviso that she take it easy. But for Vanessa, taking it easy meant daily walks, then a few exercises thrown in and before long she added running to the list.
This November 4th Vanessa and Tim will be celebrating Vanessa's two-year brain tumour survival – to the day of surgery! And if you know them, you’ll agree that there is no better way for them to celebrate than to run the world’s biggest marathon through the five boroughs of New York City (they got engaged on The Empire State Building in February 2010).

If you would like to support Vanessa and Tim and help raise money for a great cause (The Brain Tumour Foundation), hit the link top right of this page...
And don't forget to add your own support message, because running a marathon is a lot easier when you know everyone is behind you.

BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION wrote -

Team BTF is proud to be participating in the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 4, 2012. Please help us raise awareness and funds.

The Brain Tumor Foundation (BTF) guides and supports patients and families during the turbulent times when their lives are touched by a brain tumor.  The Road to Early Detection campaign, and initiative of BTF, was launched to increase public awareness about early screening for brain tumors and the urgent need for preventative brain scans.

More than half of the people diagnosed with brain tumors could be saved if brain scans were regarded to be as essential as mammograms or routine blood tests.  We have grown accustomed to routinely checking for breast, colon, prostate and other cancers – why not brain tumors?