Coram

Em's Page

Emily Chesters

Emily Chesters

My Story

I really never thought I would end up writing something like this, but here we are. I’m running the London Marathon 2026 for Coram, and I still don’t think I fully believe that I’m in a place where I get to raise awareness for a charity that means so much to me. Coram works to ensure that every child finds a safe, loving home that is truly theirs, in a world where so many of those children have stories that, sadly, look too much like my own.

Having lived through the instability and impact of abuse, I can say firsthand that adoption is one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me. It gave me safety, love, and a place to call home. That stability was shaken when my dad went to prison, and I watched my family struggle through the pain and uncertainty that followed. Yet somehow, with support and love, we kept going and began to heal. I got the chance to have a loving family home twice, firstly through adoption and secondly through my mum’s determination and strength to keep going. I got the opportunity to learn, laugh, heal, cry and grow up with dreams.

Not every child gets that chance or that choice, many are still living day to day in a world that feels frightening, chaotic, and broken. They deserve love, safety and a place to call home.

Coram isn’t just about adoption. They stand for giving every child the environment they need to learn, to grow, and to thrive. They provide counselling, advocacy, education support, creative therapies, and so much more. They help children who have seen the hardest sides of life learn to understand their feelings, rebuild trust, and find a path forward. They help children to dream again.

I’m running for my younger self, who never believed she would make it through all the instability and pain. I’m running for my brother, who we recently lost to suicide; a person who spent his life helping others, even while fighting his own battles. And I’m running for every child still waiting for safety, hope, and a home where they feel loved, valued, protected, and able to thrive, no matter what their journey to that home has looked like.

By donating, you’re helping Coram continue the life-changing work that gives children like me the chance to heal, to grow, and to believe in a kinder future. And every child deserves exactly that.

I’ll be keeping this page updated with my training progress, sharing more over on my socials, and planning some small fundraising activities in the new year. I would just like to say a massive thank you for reading this far and for being part of this journey with me.

Coram

Raising for:

Coram
131%

Funded

  • Target
    £2,000
  • Raised so far
    £2,626
  • Number of donors
    65

My Story

I really never thought I would end up writing something like this, but here we are. I’m running the London Marathon 2026 for Coram, and I still don’t think I fully believe that I’m in a place where I get to raise awareness for a charity that means so much to me. Coram works to ensure that every child finds a safe, loving home that is truly theirs, in a world where so many of those children have stories that, sadly, look too much like my own.

Having lived through the instability and impact of abuse, I can say firsthand that adoption is one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me. It gave me safety, love, and a place to call home. That stability was shaken when my dad went to prison, and I watched my family struggle through the pain and uncertainty that followed. Yet somehow, with support and love, we kept going and began to heal. I got the chance to have a loving family home twice, firstly through adoption and secondly through my mum’s determination and strength to keep going. I got the opportunity to learn, laugh, heal, cry and grow up with dreams.

Not every child gets that chance or that choice, many are still living day to day in a world that feels frightening, chaotic, and broken. They deserve love, safety and a place to call home.

Coram isn’t just about adoption. They stand for giving every child the environment they need to learn, to grow, and to thrive. They provide counselling, advocacy, education support, creative therapies, and so much more. They help children who have seen the hardest sides of life learn to understand their feelings, rebuild trust, and find a path forward. They help children to dream again.

I’m running for my younger self, who never believed she would make it through all the instability and pain. I’m running for my brother, who we recently lost to suicide; a person who spent his life helping others, even while fighting his own battles. And I’m running for every child still waiting for safety, hope, and a home where they feel loved, valued, protected, and able to thrive, no matter what their journey to that home has looked like.

By donating, you’re helping Coram continue the life-changing work that gives children like me the chance to heal, to grow, and to believe in a kinder future. And every child deserves exactly that.

I’ll be keeping this page updated with my training progress, sharing more over on my socials, and planning some small fundraising activities in the new year. I would just like to say a massive thank you for reading this far and for being part of this journey with me.