I'm excited to share that I will be running the London Marathon in April 2026 to raise funds for The Cystic Fibrosis Trust, a charity my family and I hold close to our hearts.

Our son Charlie was born in 2019 and our family was complete. Our first son and a gorgeous younger brother for our wonderful girls Holly and Emmy. But our world was turned on its head, when following the newborn heel prick test at a few days old, we received a call from Birmingham Children’s Hospital to say Charlie had tested positive for cystic fibrosis.

Life became a whirlwind of treatments, physio and hospital visits and this has become our new normal.

Every day we support Charlie in navigating the challenges this life-limiting condition brings and we are so proud of the strength and resilience he shows us every day. From undergoing a bronchoscopy under general anaesthetic at just 5 years old at BCH and a subsequent hospital stay with IV antibiotics, learning to take medicines in tablet form at just 3 years old, using nebulisers twice daily to help clear his airways, physio and breathing exercises twice a day and a medicine programme of up to 18 tablets a day, he never ceases to amaze us! And the most amazing part, you’d probably never know, he loves his football, building dens, riding his bike, swimming, playing with his sisters and friends….and his favourite thing to do - a day at the beach fossil hunting! We do our best to keep his life as “normal” as possible.

Cystic fibrosis is a life-limiting illness caused by a faulty gene, the CFTR gene, which controls salt and water movement in cells. It affects the lungs, digestive system and other organs, leading to breathing problems, frequent infections and difficulty absorbing nutrients. With ongoing research and support, there is hope for better treatments and, ultimately, a cure and we desperately hope to see this in Charlie’s lifetime, not just for him but for all the other CF patients too.

By participating in this marathon, I aim to contribute to the vital work being done by The Cystic Fibrosis Trust to improve the lives of those affected by CF.

Every donation, no matter how small, will go directly to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, helping to fund research and provide essential support for families like ours. Your generosity means the world to us and can make a real difference in the fight against cystic fibrosis. Thank you for your support as I take on this challenge!

Thank You

Ben