Clarissa’s Campaign is a student-led charity set up in memory of Clarissa Nicholls, who tragically passed away from an undiagnosed heart condition during her year abroad.

Clarissa was a French and Italian student at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. In May 2023, Clarissa collapsed and died while hiking in France. She was just 20 years old. A keen and active athlete, often described by her family and friends as a “duracell battery”, Clarissa had no idea she was living with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy — a condition that could have been detected with a simple ECG. It is estimated that 1 in 250 young people are carrying a life threatening condition.

Clarissa’s Campaign was set up to raise awareness and prevent further tragedies by providing free ECG screenings to students. Thanks to the incredible fundraising efforts of so many, along with the support of CRY and the University Sports Service, we will have carried out 10 screening days and screened more than 1000 students by the end of 2025. Every runner supporting us helps bring life-saving checks to young people who might otherwise go undiagnosed, making a real and lasting difference in Clarissa’s memory.For more information please visit https://clarissascampaign.com or @clarissascampaign on Instagram.

Cambridge Half Marathon - Sunday 8th March 2026

This year, we have a number of places available for the Cambridge Half Marathon for those wanting to support Clarissa's Campaign for Young Hearts through fundraising and sponsorship.

The event takes place on Sunday 8th March and offers an unforgettable route through Cambridge’s historic streets and iconic University grounds on a flat, fast-paced course perfect for chasing personal bests or enjoying your first half marathon. More details about the half marathon are available on their website.

Places will be sold for £50 each, with all proceeds going directly to Clarissa's Campaign for Young Hearts. Participants are then encouraged to set up their own fundraising page and join The Cambridge Half Marathon Event Page (provided by CRY) on Just Giving. Whilst there is no minimum pledge or requirement to raise money through sponsorship, any funds raised are hugely appreciated and can go a long way towards saving lives.