Update: Absolutely heartbroken to say after 26 years of battling my beautiful little sis passed away on 9th January 2025. It was one of her last wishes to go to Paris but sadly we didn’t get the time to take her there. I signed up wanting nothing more than for her after everything be there cheering me on at the finish line. We’re all devastated we won’t get that chance but will do it in honour of Kia & everyone else affected by Leukaemia. I know she’ll still be with me guiding me through 💜

As most of you are aware my sister was born with a rare genetic disease called Shwachman-diamond syndrome (SDS) and had to undergo an unrelated bone marrow transplant in 2010 to save her life, which it did for 14 years.

Unfortunately this year in September we got the sad news Kia was losing her donor cells and Kia now sadly has MDS with complex karyotypes. Leading to AML and genetic mutations on her TP53 gene.

Kia is in hospital now having a chord blood stem cell transplant in the hope to prolong her life. Sadly it won’t save her as her leukaemia is so complex but we could get anything from an extra few weeks to few years we just won’t know.

Kia’s last wish before she went into hospital was to go to Paris but unfortunately it wasn’t possible due to her not being well and able to fly. Also with her being in hospital for appointments involving blood & platelet transfusions to keep her going.

I decided to sign up to the marathon in the hope we would get Kia to Paris and she would be cheering me on, however, things have taken a turn for the worse leaving her on life support in ICU fighting each minute of every day for her life.

So on Sunday 13th April I will be running the Paris Marathon for Team Cure Leukaemia as it is a charity so close to all our hearts. All funds raised means we can help other families affected with blood cancer by funding more nurses and running more clinical trials through the Trials Acceleration Programme. It comes too late for my sister but knowing Kia she would do all she could to help others in any way. The trials are so important to find new treatments so no other families have the heartbreak of going through what we have gone through and so many others before us.

ALL leukaemia should have a cure, not just some.

I have to raise a minimum total of £750, however I would love it if we could all come together to raise much more.

Your donation, no matter how big or small really will go towards saving another persons life!

If you can’t afford to donate, please could you share the post, everything is much appreciated.

I live with the greatest hope in my heart that Kia will be waiting at the finish line for me.

https://youtu.be/ROlsJx1-E8Q