My Story

Update- It breaks my heart to announce that my beautiful mum lost her battle with lung cancer on 28th September 2025 after the most courageous fight. I will therefore now be running this race in her memory and whilst it breaks me to know now for definite that she won't be able to watch me as I had hoped, I've never been more determined. 

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In April 2026 I will embark on the biggest challenge of my life, to complete the London Marathon. 

My earliest memories of the Marathon is watching it on TV as a child with my Grampy and my Mum. My Grampy in particular would watch it every year without fail. When I was 13 years old he sadly passed away after fighting a courageous battle with Lung Cancer. His love for this event is something my Mum and I would reminisce on every year when the event came around again and my Mum in particular has continued her enjoyment in watching the runners each year.

Towards the end of 2024 my heart was shattered to learn that my mum now too had been diagnosed with incurable Lung Cancer having battled throat cancer only 3 years prior. It was decided that she would undergo palliative chemotherapy as a course of treatment which was an extremely daunting prospect for us all but of course in particular my mum. Chemotherapy is an incredibly gruelling process with many painful physical and emotional side effects. 

Back in 2012 a lady named Lisa Wallis from North Devon was diagnosed with breast cancer the day after her 30th birthday. Lisa found the side effects of Chemotherapy hard on her body and started thinking about how she could support someone else starting treatment. Using her own treatment experiences and lots of research, she compiled a list of items that would help with the side effects of treatment and the time spent in the hospital and ChemoHero was launched. 
Now, each patient that undergoes Chemotherapy treatment at the Seamoor Unit at North Devon Hospital receives a box filled with a huge selection of items to help make these difficult days seem a little easier to manage. Her box of Kindness.
My mum received one of these boxes and the smile it brought to her face in that moment of fear and uncertainty is a smile I will be forever grateful for to Lisa, and everyone at ChemoHero. 

Fast forward to April 2025 and I receive a message from mum "Are you watching the marathon Luvvy?"

I knew in that moment that I wanted to enter the ballot in hope that I could say to her that I'd be running the next one.. and here I am, a registered place holder for the London 2026 Marathon. 

When I shared this news with Mum she told me that my Grampy would be so proud of me  and that it had now given her purpose. That she will continue fighting hard so that she can be there at the finish line to meet me. I am not a runner, I haven't completed anything further than the 100m sprint in primary school,  but,  I want my Mum to know that we can achieve anything we set our heart on and that I will do absolutely anything for her.

So with all of this said it would truly mean the world to me if you could show your support to myself, my amazing Mum and the incredible charity ChemoHero by sponsoring me on this journey.. and please, wish me luck as I have a feeling I might need some! 

Thank you x