Five years ago, in the midst of the Covid pandemic, I was given a second chance at life after overcoming leukaemia. That experience changed everything. It taught me how fragile life is, how fierce the human spirit can be, and how important it is to use that second chance to help others.

In 2025, I stood on the start line of the Marathon des Sables, ready to cross the Sahara desert carrying everything I needed to survive on my back. On the fourth day, 168km into the race, 22 hours of running, deep into a cold, wet desert night, my body could no longer cope. The medics made the decision to withdraw me from the race.

That moment has stayed with me. The cold. The exhaustion. The feeling of failure. The fear of going back.

But on 2 April 2026, I AM going back.

I’m returning to the Marathon des Sables Legendary – one of the toughest footraces on earth – to face the very place where I was forced to stop. I’ll be running once more across the brutal, beautiful Sahara, carrying on my back everything I need to survive: food, kit, and the weight of my own doubts. This time, I go back with a simple promise to myself: to honour my second chance at life, and to turn fear into forward motion, one step at a time.

I’m doing this for Reuben’s Retreat, a charity that understands courage and heartbreak in a way few can. Reuben’s Retreat was founded in August 2012, just two days after the devastating loss of a little boy aged just 23 months. Born from a mother’s unimaginable grief, it has become a place of refuge, love and support for families who are losing, or have lost, the most precious thing of all – their child.

They walk alongside parents and siblings facing life-limited or life-threatened conditions, or the agony of bereavement. They offer emotional and practical support when the rest of the world can feel like it’s falling apart. They help families keep going when everything hurts.

Every mile I run in the Sahara, every blister, every moment of fear I push through, is for them – and for the families they support.

My goal is to raise £2,000 so that Reuben’s Retreat can continue to bring light into the darkest moments a family can face.

I’m asking you to stand with me:

- Stand with me as I return to the desert that defeated me once before.

- Stand with the families who are living their worst nightmare.

- Stand with Reuben’s Retreat so that no one has to face that heartbreak alone.

If you’re able, please donate and help me turn this journey of fear, resilience and hope into real, tangible support for those who need it most.

To learn more about Reuben’s Retreat and the incredible work they do, please visit www.reubensretreat.org or follow their social media channels.

Your support truly matters. Together, we can turn second chances, painful memories and brutal challenges into something powerful: comfort, care and hope for families who are walking through the hardest days of their lives.