The things I thought I would never do…

Have a life beyond 18

Have a baby

Have two working legs

Run again

Run a marathon 

In September 2011 I was diagnosed with Spindle Cell Sarcoma, a rare form of aggressive bone cancer in my right leg. Lifesaving treatment started within a week, it was intense and meant I spent much of the next year in hospital. The odds were against me; the consultants never promised a life beyond 18 or a working leg. The aggressive nature of the treatment also meant the likelihood of early menopause and a life without children, if I lived. 

I lived! And in 2015 I gave birth to a beautiful little boy; who is now currently helping me with my training. 

In addition to chemotherapy I had over 8 separate surgeries on my leg. The first of these was 8 hrs and involved bones being removed, taken to Queen May’s for director radiotherapy and replaced in my leg. All that while I laid out in theatre table. Unfortunately the leg and bones didn’t heal as expected and this resulted in a long 10 years of corrective surgeries, involving three metal frames. The bone consultant said clearly that I would not be able to run (well not a marathon he joked), but I kept my leg and it works. 

And guess what, I can run and today I am celebrating getting into the London marathon, having a baby and a beautiful life. While TCT is not responsible for my recovery it is responsible for the experience of that recovery. Throughout the years TCT has been there! In the unit where I spent most of 2011-2012 there was a room where my family could stay with me over night, a kitchen so I could have my own food and a living room. Thanks to TCT we could be together as a family with my brother and sister. 

I am running this Marathon for TCT, for the team who supported and held my hand all the way, for my family for my son and for me. But , most of all I am running this marathon for all the young people experiencing cancer right now and the ones yet to be diagnosed. All journeys are different and ours has ended well. Whatever the journey and the outcome all young people and families deserve and need the support and care of TCT without them I am not sure our story would be the same.