My Story

I am taking on the London Marathon 2026 to raise money for Whittington Health Charity, the dedicated charity for Whittington Health NHS Trust. Their aim is to enhance experiences for patients and staff at the Trust by funding transformational projects.

The Whittington Hospital and their incredible ICU team quite literally brought me back to life after I was poisoned, suffered an extreme brain injury and was put into a medically induced coma for 10 days due to severe swelling of my brain.  

As well as severe oedema, I had two minor bleeds on my brain. I also had flu B and water on my lungs, and seizures both conscious before and while in the coma. Before I was put into the coma I had to be shocked twice in resuscitation. I was in the coma for 10 days during which the scans showed I had a highly abnormal brain. My friends and family were repeatedly told that I was probably going to die during the first couple of days, and that even if I did wake up, to expect I probably wouldn’t be myself. To even be writing this now, when a few months ago I almost died, to me is an incredible achievement.

When I was moved to the General Ward the first ICU doctor who resuscitated me came and told me I was the worst case of this he had seen in his career. The nurses and the doctors told me I was a warrior and a miracle!

My banner picture is the first solid meal I got to eat! A Franco Manca potato pesto pizza! It tasted so incredibly salty as I was extremely dehydrated but was still amazing to chew and swallow after THE TUBE! While I was in the coma I lost 17kg of muscle mass and I have been working hard to learn to walk again, start to rebuild muscle and develop stamina to stand, concentrate, engage in conversation, etc.

I cannot wait to run and raise as much money as possible for the incredible hospital that saved my life; and selfishly, to prove to myself I can run a marathon and that this experience hasn’t held me back but has in fact made me stronger. This marathon and working towards it also feels like a monumental celebration of my alive-ness! Of life and vitality and the amazing gift I have been given to keep on living! 

I have recently lost 70% + of my hair which is normal after a coma but has been really tough mentally and deeply affected my confidence and self-image, especially after learning to walk again, re-gaining cognitive functions and working so hard to rebuild some of the muscle I lost, this happening has felt like a big push back. I really didn't realise how much of my self-worth and feeling good about myself was linked to my hair until now. Having this marathon to work towards and starting to be able to run again is helping me focus on what my body can do rather than what it looks like.

Every single doctor and nurse and member of staff showed me and my loved ones so much kindness, care and support, and I have so, so much respect for them all. I would love to help give something back, to support and celebrate this charity in any small way I can, and hopefully do all the doctors and nurses that brought me, quite literally back to life, proud!

You can read more about their projects here

Thank you so much for your support, whatever amount it is so, so deeply appreciated.