In June 2023, my then 2 year old son Oti received a stem cell transplant from a donor in America, which saved his life, and in turn, it saved me and my husband too.

Oti was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia in July 2022, which we still wonder if we’ll ever come to terms with. It was such a terrifying period, but also a devastatingly magical time, doing, feeling and seeing that much hard work and love in action. Now 15 months after Oti’s transplant, we truly feel like the luckiest people on this planet. This is the feeling that other families can have, with better donor matches which is enabled by Anthony Nolan, who pave the way for the mind boggling level of analysis it takes to give people the best donor match, and best chance of a long and healthy life.

Endurance isn’t something I’d ever have seen myself capable of - I’ve always gone for faster returns, but I know I need to do this marathon, to raise money for and to run every footstep for the people that need stem cell transplants in the future. There are so many diseases that we wish we could find life saving cures for. For leukaemias and many blood disorders, it IS possible.

I’m running it with two friends, Chez and Gem, both Mums of two boys like me, who I can’t wait to train so hard with, raise loads of money with, have so much fun every step with, and share the coldest of beers with!

Anthony Nolan is a UK charity that a Mum set up for her son. I’ll be running this marathon for the children we knew on Bristol’s Starlight ward - my son Oti, Alex, Poppy, Rogan and Josie, and to move the needle for every family in future who walks through those doors, over spilling with will, wonder, and love.

Thank you! X