In 2019, aged 14, I was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin's Lymphoma. As you can imagine, living in a children's cancer ward wasn't much fun - childhoods become stolen by isolation and medical procedures. The mental challenges of childhood illness are often overlooked, and can be just as tough as the physical challenges.

However, it was during this time that I witnessed the amazing work of Starlight, who provide play and entertainment to children suffering from serious illnesses. Starlight achieve this on a range of scales, from hospital activities to weekend getaways - or simply providing support and comfort.

Personally, Starlight helped me when I was invited on a group trip to the Monaco Grand Prix, where we were given VIP access to spend time with drivers such as Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. As the oldest child on this trip, I saw how happy the other children were, which is so meaningful after months of living in and out of hospital.

Now that I am in the privileged position of being healthy again, I am delighted to be running for Starlight in the 2025 London Marathon.

Any donations, big or small, will be greatly appreciated :)

Those who donate over £10 are welcome to enter my raffle here: https://forms.gle/oW6Gxb1yUCHUR1AU7

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Here are some words from Starlight themselves:

Starlight are passionate about protecting every child's right to play, which takes them to the bedsides of some of the most poorly children in the UK, and making sure they have the tools to play through their anxiety, fear and loneliness.

Life in hospital isn't easy, especially when you're young. Suddenly you find yourself in a strange and lonely place full of unfamiliar sights and sounds.

In donating, you are directly helping children to cope with serious illness by giving them tools to manage these times when they need it most. Not only this, but you're also helping to support their siblings and parents by providing vital funds to provide them with funding family breaks and away days, giving them a chance to make comforting, life lasting memories together, no matter what the future may bring.

If you can donate, any donation no matter the size is massively appreciated.