Our supporters

A special thank you to our 2022 London Marathon runners

Our amazing London Marathon runners have collectively raised more than £51,000 so far for World Cancer Research Fund. It’s thanks to our dedicated supporters that together we can help prevent cancer, save lives, and fund our critical research into cancer prevention and our education programmes.

We couldn’t be prouder of every single one of our runners and wanted to say a special thank you to them all. Here are some of our runners’ stories.

Tom runs in memory of his father

In 2018, Tom Clark returned home to Northumberland for Christmas, where he first noticed that his father, Peter, was limping. Assuming it was nothing more than a rolled ankle, as Peter tended to be accident-prone, it came as a shock when the family received the devasting news – Peter had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. The cancer had spread drastically, causing the limp.

Tom says: “Nothing can prepare you for the loss of a parent, especially at the age of 24. In memory of my inspiration, my anchor, and my ultimate phone-a-friend Peter Ivor Clark, I’ll be running the London Marathon, raising money for World Cancer Research Fund.

“My Dad was also a regular runner and raised money for cancer charities up until his death, so it seems fitting for me to continue his legacy”.

> Donate to Tom

Angelique takes on Marathon while in remission

In January 2021, Angelique Pendrill was diagnosed with an aggressive form of papillary thyroid cancer. Angelique had her thyroid and lymph nodes removed, but then experienced a painful pulmonary embolism in her lung and had to return to the hospital for treatment. Angelique experienced all of this during the peak of the COVID-19 restrictions.

Fast forward a year, Angelique is in remission and finally finding a new lease of life, getting back to her old self. When she’s not teaching or training for the marathon, Angelique plays softball and cricket, and runs her online challenge website – a platform she’s recently set up, encouraging people to set daily achievable goals, whether it’s walking 10,000 steps a day or completing a 10k run.

Angelique shares her new way of seeing life: “It’s important to live every day as if it’s your last day and if you’ve played your day right, you can’t go wrong. After having cancer my body is still recovering daily from fatigue and constant toothache but I’m getting stronger each day. That’s why I’ve decided to take on the London Marathon; it’s a challenge but one I’m ready for.”

> Donate to Angelique

Father-daughter duo Abbie & Michael

University student Abbie Branston and her father, Michael Branston, are passionate about promoting healthy lifestyles to reduce the risk of serious conditions, including cancer. Abbie has recently been affected by cancer as people close to her have been diagnosed, including friends and family.

With the encouragement and support of her father, Abbie is finding time to fit training into her life. When Abbie’s not studying for her exams, she’s outside running with her father, and for extra encouragement, her mother rides her bike alongside her.

Abbie says: “It wasn’t until my partner’s brother was diagnosed that I realised how many people cancer affects. This is why I’m now so passionate about raising funds for World Cancer Research Fund.

“Training for the marathon has made me more aware of what I’m eating. I’m trying to eat well in general, especially to help with my recovery after running.”

> Donate to Abbie

Daniel raises over £2,000 in 48 hours

Daniel raised an amazing £2,000 within 2 days! And there’s no ­­sign of him slowing down on his fundraising efforts any time soon – he’s taking part in World Gaming Day on 22 October, when he’ll be looking to raise further funds for World Cancer Research Fund through sponsored gaming.

Daniel has been committed to World Cancer Research Fund’s work to raise awareness of cancer prevention and survival after seeing his fiancée’s father go through cancer. Last year, his fiancée’s father was diagnosed with cancer for the fourth time and this time a cancerous tumour was wrapped around his spine. Diagnosed with chronic cancer, he’s on a journey to getting better.

Daniel says: “My fiancée’s father is my inspiration for running this marathon. His cancer hasn’t stopped him from living life as fully as he can, and he continues to work. Their bond as a family continues to grow stronger, never wavering. That’s why World Cancer Research Fund’s work is so important to me, as it can help save lives.”

> Donate to Daniel

Here comes the bride: our SJ takes on another challenge

You’d think that someone planning a wedding would have their hands full – now throw in the Big Half, the Great North Run and the London Marathon – all of the races our Fundraising Partnerships Manager, Sarah Jane Hill, has taken on.

As well as this, Sarah Jane has cooked (and carried to the office!) over 50 chickpea and sweet potato curries for World Cancer Research Fund staff to raise funds.

We’re in awe of Sarah Jane’s ability to buy her wedding dress on the same weekend as the Great North Run, as well as have her wedding one week before the London Marathon!

Talking about her marathon prep, Sarah Jane says: “I’ve been into running for many years, but longer distances have always been a challenge for me. I know if I get out there and get it done, I’ll feel great, not only with my physical health but my mental health too. Training for an event like the London Marathon takes real commitment, but it’s so worth it. I can’t wait to cross the finish line and celebrate afterwards!”

> Donate to SJ

We have lots of other wonderful runners raising money for us at the 2022 London Marathon. You can read all their stories and donate to them on World Cancer Research Fund’s JustGiving page.