Interested in running in this event? Email us blcontherun@hotmail.com

In March 2018, Steve Marsland was diagnosed with stage 3C bowel cancer at the age of 33, having only had his first symptom just six weeks earlier. After going through twelve rounds of chemotherapy, five weeks of radiotherapy, major life changing surgery and a pelvic infection, he went into remission. Sadly, in November 2019, Steve was told that the cancer had returned, progressed to stage 4, and that he had a rare bowel cancer gene mutation called BRAF V600 making his cancer incurable. Since the cancer returned, Steve has endured a further 89 rounds of chemotherapy to keep on top of the cancer as it is now in his lymphatic system. He has shown incredible strength and is defying the odds, as statistically only 8% of people with advanced bowel cancer survive more than 5 years. He continues to face the challenges of treatment every other week while remaining a great husband, valued employee at BT and the best dad to his boys Austin and Riley. Steve's bravery inspired his wife Emma (a member of the BLC Running Club) to run both the 2020 (virtual) and 2021 London Marathons raising money for leading bowel cancer charities as well as raising awareness of the disease and its symptoms. The Marslands' story has inspired the Club to organise a 24-hour run Feb 9-10 2024 to help raise more funds for research into bowel cancer - the fourth most common cancer, but the second biggest killer with someone being diagnosed every 15 minutes. If bowel cancer is caught in the early stages there is a 90 per cent chance of a cure, but if the early symptoms are not recognised it can be significantly worse.