I’ve always wanted to run a marathon. For years it sat in the category of “one day”, something I’d do when life was a little less busy and the kids were a bit older.

That changed when our daughter, Maytal, was born at 25 weeks. She spent eight months in hospital. On the day she was born, I remember running home through the pouring rain one Shabbat to tell the family she had arrived far earlier than expected. From then on, running became part of how Sophie and I coped with the long hospital months, often running to or from the hospital, clearing our heads and avoiding the traffic and the tube.

Running also took on a deeper meaning during that time. It wasn’t lost on me that whilst Maytal was fighting hard to breathe and grow stronger, I was pushing my own lungs and legs to keep going mile after mile. It’s one of the reasons running this marathon feels so personal.

During Maytal’s journey, Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice was mentioned to us at one particularly difficult point. Thankfully, we never needed to meet them. But knowing they were there, and hearing from friends about the extraordinary care and support they give families during unimaginably hard times, left a lasting impression.

Every family facing that kind of situation deserves to feel supported and held. Noah’s Ark provides exactly that.

So this marathon is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, but now it feels like it has a real purpose.

If you’re able to support the incredible work Noah’s Ark does for seriously ill children and their families, I would be hugely grateful.

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The Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice team are taking on the London Marathon on Sunday 26 April 2026.Our incredible team of runners are lacing up and going the distance to help babies, children who are seriously unwell, and their families make the most of every day.

The impact of Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice

At Noah’s Ark, we help children with serious conditions enjoy the best possible quality of life, while also supporting their siblings, parents and carers.

We’re here with expert clinical, emotional and practical support – at home, in hospital and at The Ark, our state-of-the-art hospice building.

We believe that every child deserves a good quality of life, no matter how short it may be, and we are dedicated to being there for every family who needs us. We are the children's hospice for North London, but we can't do without our supporters.