My London Marathon 2026 Fundraising Story

This April, I’ll be running the London Marathon in support of WellChild – a charity that helps children with complex medical needs to thrive at home with their families.

WellChild does incredible work: funding specialist nurses, connecting families through peer support, and transforming gardens and outdoor spaces so children can enjoy safe, accessible places to play. I’ve been proud to volunteer on their Helping Hands projects for several years, and I’ve seen first-hand how life-changing these transformations can be for children and their families.

But this run is also deeply personal for me. Earlier this year, my friend James McCaffrey sadly passed away. James was the reason I first started running. We completed my very first marathon together in Edinburgh back in 2014. He was also a huge supporter of WellChild, regularly raising money for them – even running the London Marathon in their legendary 12ft Nessie costume! This year, I’ll be running in James’s memory, continuing the fundraising that meant so much to him.

Every donation, big or small, really does make a difference:

• £150 could fund a day of support from a WellChild Family Coordinator.

• £50 could host a local peer support group for parent carers.

• £20 could connect a family to the WellChild Family Tree support service.

Your support will help families get the care and resources they need, and it will also honour James’s legacy. Please donate if you can — and cheer me on as I take on 26.2 miles in London.

Thank you so much,

Luke