The Gratitude Run

In 2020, when our first child, Otis, was just seven months old, our world turned upside down. As the pandemic spread like wildfire, we learned that Otis had been born without a working immune system, a rare genetic condition called Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID). Our beautiful baby needed a stem cell transplant to survive.

Thanks to the incredible teams at Anthony Nolan and Great Ormond Street Hospital, a miracle happened. A perfect donor match was found, and Otis accepted his new immune system – a gift from a stranger who saved his life.

Then in 2022, as we were preparing to welcome our second child, we received the devastating news that he had the same condition as his brother. But this time, we knew we weren’t alone. When Nelson was born, Anthony Nolan and GOSH had already lined up a matching donor. At just 11 weeks old, Nelson underwent his transplant, following in his big brother’s tiny but courageous footsteps.

So many amazing people helped us along this journey. We've had unwavering support from family, friends, and our places of work. And we've received exceptional care from every part of the NHS that we've encountered: community nurses; our local team at QEQM; the South Thames Retrieval Service who whisked us to London under flashing blue lights; the PICU teams at the Evelina and Royal Brompton; and the BMT & Immunology teams at GOSH who work closely with Anthony Nolan.

Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. You did all of this without ever expecting anything in return, but the truth is, we owe you the world.

In 2025, I will run the London Marathon to express my gratitude to Anthony Nolan and the life-saving work they do every single day.

I’m running for the two selfless, anonymous young men who donated their stem cells, giving Otis and Nelson the chance to live full and vibrant lives.

I’m running for Kate, who cared for our babies with unimaginable tenderness during the darkest of times, and who continues to nurture them daily.

I’m running for Otis and Nelson, who faced more in their first years than most of us ever will; who climbed mountains before learning to crawl. They are my heroes.

And I’m running for every person who has ever extended a hand to a stranger or been lifted up by one. This run is for you.

Together we can do so much!

Love and gratitude,

JR

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Anthony Nolan’s world-leading stem cell register, groundbreaking cell and gene therapy research and expertise in stem cell transplants means we currently help four patients a day in need of a transplant, giving more people another chance to live. But we know we can, and must, do more. Driven by patients, backed by stem cell donors, powered by science, and with your support, we won’t stop until we’ve uncovered the lifesaving potential of the cells inside us all, and every patient can survive and thrive.