From my earliest memory, my best friend Lily has been an inspiration to me; driven in ways that most people can only aspire to, kind and always quick to crack a joke. From playgroup all the way through secondary school, we shared every milestone until September 2013 when our lives suddenly took dramatically different turns. Whilst I was able to complete our final year of school as usual, Lily unexpectedly entered the world of the “clinically vulnerable” after some routine tests at the GP showed that her bone marrow was almost completely empty.

Over the course of 7 years, she would go on to battle against the unpredictable nature of a rare and life-threatening blood disorder, Aplastic Anaemia, taking the countless blood transfusions, medication and months on the Teenage Cancer Ward at Addenbrooke‘s into her stride. After lots of ups and downs, Lily was left with little choice but to undergo a stem cell transplant in August 2020. Thankfully, Anthony Nolan were on hand to support her and her brother (a fortunate match) before, during and after this process.

Every year in the UK, 2,300 people begin a desperate search for a stem cell donor for a range of blood cancers and disorders. Anthony Nolan help to give many a second chance at life by:

• Growing the stem cell register, allowing lifesaving connections between patients and complete strangers
• Carrying out groundbreaking research to improve survival rates and life after transplant
• Providing the best post-transplant care for people affected by transplant

By running the London Marathon, I hope to raise £2,000 to enable Anthony Nolan to continue its incredible work and encourage more people to join the stem cell register.

True to style, Lily not only got through two intense rounds of chemo and the bone marrow transplant with a smile but even managed to complete a law postgrad from her hospital bed… Attempting to run 26.2 miles is absolutely incomparable but I also want to show that if I’ve learnt anything from Lily, it’s a little bit of grit and determination. 

Thank you so much for any support, I really appreciate it.

FLP always xxx