I’m running in the London Marathon to raise money and awareness for The Aplastic Anaemia Trust (AAT), a charity whose work means so much to me and my family.

Helena’s story..

In 2019, at just 28, my sister Helena was diagnosed with Aplastic Anaemia — a rare and potentially life-threatening condition that affects the bone marrow’s ability to produce red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

Helena needed regular blood and platelet transfusions and spent many weeks in hospital. It was an incredibly difficult time for her and everyone who loves her, as we tried to understand this rare and complex condition. Throughout it all, she showed remarkable determination, good humour and positivity in the face of a life-changing diagnosis.

A stem cell transplant offered Helena the chance of recovery. Siblings can sometimes be suitable donors, but neither my brother nor I was a close enough match. Thankfully, an international donor register helped find someone who was: a 22-year-old man in Germany who agreed to donate his stem cells.

The transplant involved chemotherapy to prepare Helena’s body to receive the donor cells. It was a complex process, with significant risks and uncertainty. Thankfully, her transplant proved successful, and her immune function improved from almost nothing to near-normal levels.

Seeing what Helena went through brought home just how important research, treatment and support are for people living with aplastic anaemia. Helena has been very fortunate that all went well and though being checked regularly, she leads a normal life now. For other patients, both children and adults, their journey can be very different, sometimes with devastating outcomes.

I’m running to raise funds so The Aplastic Anaemia Trust can continue its vital work and to help more people understand this condition.

How your donation will help:

- Support for patients and families:

AAT helps ensure that no one affected by aplastic anaemia feels alone. Through caring, informed support and a community of people who understand, they give patients and loved ones somewhere to turn — without having to explain their condition over and over again.

- Funding vital research:

The charity funds research to improve understanding of aplastic anaemia and develop better treatments. This work offers hope to people living with the condition today, as well as those diagnosed in the future.

- Raising awareness:

With a condition this rare, awareness matters. Sharing Helena’s story is one small way to help others understand its impact and why continued funding, so hard won with a rare condition, is so important.