My Story

UPDATE: W-O-W!! Thank you so so much for your amazing messages of support and incredibly generous donations 🙏🥹 I am incredibly grateful and it feels wonderful to be able to give back to Maggie’s.

Training hasn’t been without hiccups - taken off the chemo I’ve relied on for nearly six years because it was no longer working was quite a knock to take, knowing I’ll have six more rounds of different chemo starting after the marathon, and tearing my calf muscle. But I feel lucky to be able to run and nothing will stop me on Sunday!  🙌🏃‍♀️
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I have Stage 4 metastatic cancer but I refuse to let it hold me back. 

In April, I will be running the 2026 London Marathon to raise funds for the incredible Maggie’s Charity. I want to show to always say yes to wild goals, and that nothing is impossible.

My story…

In 2020, while the world was navigating Covid, I was diagnosed with adrenal cancer (a rare neuroendocrine cancer). Look it up, as Rob says, I really am one in a million. I had major surgery (various organs removed where the cancer had spread plus the pretty big tumour itself), I've been on oral chemo and steroids for years, and will be forever. More recently I've had six months of intensive IV chemo. The cancer has spread to my lungs and is now terminal.

I live with fatigue, nausea, a compromised immune system and many side effects, and I also have a pretty extensive collection of wigs, which our boys humorously compare to Phoenix Buchanan’s in Paddington 2. But I'm still here, still moving, still dreaming and still smiling. 

Why the London Marathon?

I am not a natural runner (yet) put me in the sea and I’m a mermaid! I started training this summer and I'm determined (I think it helps when you're a little stubborn too). I approach every run, reminding myself how lucky I am to be able to run. 

I'm not chasing a time, I'm chasing hope, resilience, to prove to myself and anyone affected by cancer that anything is possible.

It's also a privilege to have the chance to give back.

Why Maggie’s?

Maggies is a beautiful, non-clinical space that offers emotional and practical support to people affected by cancer. It took me a while to pluck up the courage to walk through their doors, but when I did, I found care, compassion and community. It's a sanctuary and it's made a huge difference. I have met amazing fellow patients and carers, had brilliant advice, attended workshops and more. Simply put, Maggie’s Oxford is an incredible space, full of wonderful volunteers complementing the ground-breaking work the NHS oncology team tirelessly does at OUH.

If you’ve read this far, thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

If you're able to sponsor me, I would be so enormously grateful. Your support will help me through the dark winter training and the big day in April. 

Thank you for reading and being part of this with me,

Sarah xx

PS - I’m sorry if you’re reading this and I hadn’t told you about the past few years and you thought that I had just become really anti-social (cancer does that). I kept it really close, partly because I’ve been so ill, the boys, because of lockdown, I didn’t want to be known as ‘Sarah with cancer’ and I’m really sensitive that everyone has their own things happening too. But now feels like the right time to share. Supporting Maggie’s feels like the right cause.