On April 12th 2026, I will be running the London Landmarks Half Marathon in memory of Sally O'Leary, one of my closest friends who passed away unexpectedly from diabetic ketoacidosis in April 2025.

Sally was an amazing friend and an even better person; she was funny, cheeky, dedicated, smart and exceptionally giving. She was a big fan of a pic in club bathroom mirrors, getting the largest volume of drinks humanly possible at bottomless brunch and an insanely detailed to-do list. She was obsessed with cats, loved a rollercoaster, and had a strong moral compass. I could write multiple pages on how amazing she was as a person, but I don’t quite have the character count for that here.

Sally was the first person I met at university; our rooms were across from each other, and we shared a mutual friend yet had never met before heading to Bath. During our time at university, Sally introduced me to baby Guinnesses and St Patrick's Day; she taught me the art of achieving a maximally efficient bottomless brunch, and we shared many days and nights in each other's company. Nobody is perfect, as Sally showed by being an Arsenal fan, but despite our football rivalry (I’m a Liverpool fan), we watched many football matches together over a pint (or three). Sally left an everlasting impression on my life and all those she met. She was a beautiful person that I feel very privileged to have known, and we all feel her absence every day.

That is why I decided to fundraise for Breakthrough T1D. They are the leading Type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organisation, dedicated to advancing treatments, influencing policy and increasing access to care for those without the necessary access to treatment. Their goal is to make T1D a thing of the past, so that people with diabetes can go on to live long, fulfilling lives - like Sally deserved to.

Thank you so much in advance for donating whatever you can, it really will make a huge difference.