On 21st April 2024 we are organising a Team Marathon Event in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Cystic Fibrosis is the UKs most common genetically inherited disease, which causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and many other organs and there is currently no cure. Emma, one of the event organisers, was diagnosed with CF at birth and after surviving life saving surgery at 12 hours old, her parents were told she would not live to see her 7th birthday. She is now 43, a sports teacher, mother and occasional runner! The treatment of CF is currently unrecognisable to that in the 1980s when Emma was born and it is thanks to the advancement in medicines and treatments that she is where she is today. However, CF is a widely complicated disease which still takes too many young lives every year. That is why it is still so important to find a cure and is why this event is in aid of the CF Trust.

Emma’s Motivation…

“This will be the first running event I have ever organised and marks 20 years since I ran my first marathon in 2004. Back then, when I was much younger and fitter, I became the first known girl with Cystic Fibrosis to run the London Marathon. It was a tough, soaking wet April day and with a nasty chest infection and a knee injury, my best friend and I limped round in just under 6 hours. In doing so we raised over £20,000 for the CF Trust and swore we would never run a marathon again!

However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I knew could do better and so in 2014, 10 years after my first (and only marathon at that point), I took to the streets of London again. This time the sun shone, I was much better prepared and with my best friend once again by my side we completed it in 4 hours 30. It was a wonderful day, we raised another £21,000 for the CF Trust and I could finally draw a line under my marathon attempts.

Or so I thought.... It is now 2024 and having not taken on a challenge of any sort for several years (other than having Monty!), it feels like too good an opportunity not to continue the tradition. However, my knees and ankles have since retired themselves from long distance running (!) so while the soul is willing, the body is no longer able...

Enter the idea of a Team Running Event, all in aid of the CF Trust. We are so grateful to everyone who has shown their support for this event and we hope that it proves to be a great day for all those running and supporting.

Emma Stewart and the Tichborne Team Marathon Committee.