I am running the 2023 Edinburgh marathon for leukaemia UK. But Why?
Around 790 children and young people are diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia per year in the UK.
In the summer of 2008 I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a blood cancer that progresses quickly and aggressively. I was 6 years old. I often think that I am glad I suffered this at a young age as whilst I was aware I was unwell, I was not conscious of the severity of what I was suffering.
However, as with most cancer treatments, not everything was smooth sailing. During my course of treatment I experienced kidney failure, severe allergic reactions and underwent countless blood transfusions and rounds of chemotherapy.
Although I was the one with cancer, I will never be able to imagine the suffering forced upon my family seeing me the way I was.
Over the two and a half years of my treatment it was the support, research and care from charities that created fun opportunities in the hard times and helped both me and my family eventually return to a somewhat normal life.
Therefore, being able to complete the Edinburgh marathon whilst raising money to contribute towards further research into treatment for leukaemia would genuinely mean the world to me. Perhaps I could even make one persons cancer journey a little easier 🫶🏼🫶🏼

Additionally, I would love to make my mum and dad proud because I have no doubt that there was a point in their lives where they were unsure if I’d survive, let alone be running a marathon 10+ years on. They sacrificed a lot for me at the time so this is also unofficially for them ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥