On the 14th April 2024, I will be running the Manchester Marathon in support of my sister-in-law Tayler Toomer and her fight against Breast Cancer.

As someone who has only just started running recently, this will be a huge challenge for me. I am now full-swing into my training, so keep an eye-out for regular updates on the page.

To anyone reading this that would like to join-in with any of my training along the way from now until April - I'd love for you to join me, so please get in touch!

Any donations that can be made will be sent directly to Hamwic House, a centre in Southampton where Tayler is having her treatment. See below for Taylers story:

2023 was one of the most magical years for me. My partner Freddie and I had been living in Hong Kong for the last couple of years, we were finally being able to travel Asia with no COVID restrictions and best of all we had our fairy-tale wedding in Sicily, it really was a dream.

At the beginning of the year, I had noticed a small lump on my breast, so I went to a GP in Hong Kong to have it checked - They ultra sounded the lump and confirmed that it was just a cyst. As the summer came and went, the cyst started to grow at an alarming rate, so after the wedding I headed back to the GP and asked them to remove it. Again, another ultrasound confirmed that it was a cyst. Early October, a couple of weeks before my 30th birthday, I went in for a small procedure to have the cyst removed, where they also did a biopsy and the confirmed that the cyst was in-fact cancerous. This was when our lives started to be turned upside down.

I was sent back to the hospital for MRI scans, mammograms and full body CT scans over the next couple of days and luckily there didn’t seem to be any spread, other than to the lymph nodes. Another surgery had to take place to remove the tissue from around the original site and check the lymph nodes to see if they did need to be removed, which they were as two had cancer within them. The diagnosis was an aggressive, triple negative, stage 2 ductal carcinoma and I would have to endure some heavy chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Being on the other side of the world from your family and friends whilst dealing with such a shocking situation, I knew that I needed to get back home for the next stage of the treatment.

As soon as I was fit to fly from surgery, I booked myself a one-way ticket back to the UK and had a referral with the Southampton General Hospital Oncology team urgently. It’s staggering how diligent and caring the oncology unit has been! I was seen within a week by a consultant and chemo was started a couple of weeks after that. The NHS gets so much grief from the long waiting times but when it really matters, they have it covered. Seeing the bills from my surgery and quotations for chemotherapy in Hong Kong, it makes you realise just how incredible the NHS are when it comes to providing this level of treatment. The standard of care at Hamwick House is world class, they are kind, organised, efficient, reliable and it is a lovely space that makes a really hard time somewhat enjoyable and providing the feeling of a community! The team there have not only been physically treating me but also helped with the mental impact of such a horrific disease which affects so many people.

However, these facilities are not possible without the funding and support, as with anywhere in the NHS. This incredible team at Hamwick House make do with what they have, but in order to keep providing this level of care for the thousands of people affected in the Southampton area they desperately need funding. Cancer rates are growing with more younger people diagnosed year on year.