In April 2026, we will be running the Manchester Marathon — not just as a personal challenge, but as a deeply meaningful way to say thank you to The Christie, where Bek's son, Hector, received treatment between March-May 2025.

In November 2024, 5 year old Hector was air-ambulanced from the Isle of Man to AlderHey Children’s Hospital with a brain tumour, later diagnosed as a rare craniopharyngioma.

After undergoing an initial procedure and numerous tests and scans, the family were temporarily relocated to Manchester while he underwent a six-week course of proton beam therapy at The Christie.

The Christie is one of only two centres in the UK offering this advanced and highly targeted treatment, something that we are all so grateful that Hector was able to access.

In addition to the world-class treatment centre, we were also blown away by the exceptional level of care he received at the centre. The team that supported Hector (and the entire family) during his treatment made a really difficult time feel manageable, and at times enjoyable, through their thoughtfulness, compassion and incredible personability.

Watching your child go through something so serious is something no parent is ever prepared for. But thanks to The Christie, Bek, Hector and the rest of the family had a really positive experience, one that they will always be grateful for.

And, as a wider group of friends and soul sisters, we all feel in debt to The Christie, and NHS as a whole.

So, we're lacing up our running shoes (that most of us don't even own yet) to give back.

'Team Hector' consists of:

Bek - Whose only previous marathon experience has involved binge-watching a whole Netflix season in one sitting, has never run more than 5 or so miles, at a slow pace, but hopes to find motivation and inspiration from having watched Hector deal with so many challenges he has faced to date.

Emma - She may be fit, she may be fast but boy does she bore easy - so is feeling apprehensive about swapping a quick blast around the athletics track for a relentless pounding of the mean streets, if 'it's a marathon not a sprint' was a person, it's her.

Suzanne - Already juggling full-time work, parenting, running a small business and a total house renovation - so marathon training just felt like the natural next step. Has managed a few leisurely jogs in her lifetime, now she just needs to find a way to multitask while she fits in a few more.

Susie - The dark horse. On paper, as inexperienced as the rest of us, more so if you count all of the PE lessons she dipped out of over the years, but pulls it out the bag when she needs to. Like that one 9 mile run she has under her belt from 2010 - so pretty much ready to go.

Christina - The bookies favourite. Was a cross country champ back in the day and one of those annoying people who can actually co-ordinate their breathing in time with their long legs with minimal effort. She'll have finished and bought a celebratory round before most if us have even passed the 20 mile mark.

Ashlea - Parkruns were her gateway drug — now she's moving on to the hard stuff. A serial socialiser and friend collector with a minimum one month lead-in to her calendar bookings. So let's hope all of her pals are up for catching up over a training run or two in the new year.

So there you have it, what we lack in experience we make up for in enthusiasm. That said, we know that won't last, particularly on those dark, wet and cold training days we will be facing in the winter. But what will certainly help is knowing that we are going to make a difference to other children like Hector, which is why we would very much appreciate a donation if you are in a position to do so.

And if you can’t donate, sharing this page means the world too.

Thank you for supporting a cause that means so much to us 💛

With love

Team Hector x

#TeamChristie #ManchesterMarathon2026 #TeamHector #BrainTumourAwareness #Craniopharyngioma #ProtonBeamTherapy #TheChristie

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