My Story

In November 2023, at the age of 19, I was diagnosed with APML (acute promyelocytic leukaemia). At the time, I was just ten weeks away from completing Phase 2 RAF Medic training. I was otherwise fit, healthy, and enjoying both life and my career when I attended the Accident and Emergency Department at Good Hope Hospital due to an abnormally heavy period and unexplained bruising. That visit changed everything.

I was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital early that morning and spent the following month as an inpatient receiving chemotherapy. I was discharged on Boxing Day 2023 and went on to complete a further three rounds of chemotherapy as an outpatient. During this time, I developed neutropenic sepsis twice and also contracted Covid. Despite these setbacks, I returned to work in July 2024.

I am now incredibly grateful to say that I am in full remission. I continue to have bone marrow samples taken every three months to ensure the cancer has not returned, and I consider myself very lucky. While I am still processing the mental impact of everything that has happened, I choose to enjoy life fully and set myself new challenges to focus on.

Running the London Marathon is one of those challenges. I want to give hope to other young people who find themselves in the position I once was in, and to show them that recovery is possible. There is hope, and there is light at the end of a long and difficult tunnel. Just two years ago, I could barely walk to the end of the hospital corridor or climb a flight of stairs. Now, I have the opportunity to run a marathon. Running is no longer something I have to do — it is something that I can do.

I am running for Teenage Cancer Trust to raise awareness of the often-overlooked signs and symptoms of cancer in young adults, and to help raise vital funds to ensure that patients and their families receive the support they need during one of the hardest times of their lives. This marathon is also a celebration of how far I have come, with the unwavering support of my family, friends, and colleagues.

In August last year, my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer. Running the London Marathon is also about making her proud and showing her that, thanks to her and my dad, I am the strong and independent young woman I am today — and that I can do hard things.