I’m taking part in the Great North Run to raise money for Bowel Cancer UK in memory of my husband, Chris Adcock (1979-2022).

Chris was a truly special person. He was a friend to everyone, and would always go out of his way to help anyone who needed it. He was a devoted father who adored our son, James: nothing made him happier than building elaborate train sets with him. He was a talented musician- a virtuoso guitarist who wrote songs that touched the heart. He was also the love of my life, ever since we got together at my 18th birthday party.

In 2018, when our son was just 2 years old, Chris was diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer. His symptoms hadn’t been picked up earlier because bowel cancer was considered an older person’s disease. The surgeon removed a tumour the size of his fist, but it had spread to Chris’s peritoneal layer, and so the relentless period of chemotherapy and operations began. While Chris responded miraculously to treatment, making it far past the time we had been told would be a good outcome, unfortunately the cancer returned and spread; he passed away in August 2022. 

Running a half marathon is a big challenge for me (my current runs are only 5k!), but I’m inspired by Chris, who taught me how to do hard things and still keep smiling.

Bowel Cancer UK’s vision is a future where no-one dies of the disease. Early diagnosis and greater awareness might have made all the difference to us and our family. That’s why I’m hoping to raise money for Bowel Cancer UK. They’re the UK's leading bowel cancer charity and are determined to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer. Bowel cancer is the UK's second biggest cancer killer with over 16,000 people dying annually of a disease that is preventable, treatable and curable. I’m determined to help Bowel Cancer UK to change that. The money you donate will help to provide support and information to patients and their families, enable them to fund and support research into bowel cancer and to campaign for early diagnosis and best treatment and care for all.