In 2023 i lost my mum unexpectedly. it was my first experience of grief so close to home. That kind of personal loss does something to you. it pulls you into a club no one asks to be a part of, people carrying an invisible pain, moving through life changed by something others may not understand until it happens to them.

Being in that space opened my eyes to the many other forms of suffering around me including conflict, displacement, trauma and poverty. I began to realise that just because i had not experienced these things myself did not mean i should look away.

That is why i want to run the London Marathon for the British Red Cross. With everything happening in the world, their work has never felt more urgent. Their mission to support people in crisis resonates deeply with me. I want to do something practical to help others, even if it is simply running, fundraising and sharing my story.

This marathons is not about achieving a personal best. it is about showing up for myself and for people i may never meet, but whose struggles i now see with much clearer eyes.

Every donation will be matched my my employer, doubling it's impact. Thank you for supporting me and this incredible cause.

Pelumi x