We wish the best of luck to our #TeamCHECT London Marathon runners who will be pounding the streets of London on Sunday 21 April 2024!
If you’re heading to London for the day, we’d love for you to join us to help cheer on our fantastic runners as they make their way around this iconic London course and over the finish line. We will have a cheer point between miles 20 & 21 near the Docklands Museum. And will be holding a post-race celebration at the (top floor) Glass Blower pub at Piccadilly Circus from 2pm onwards . Look out for our team, and let us know you’re coming – we’d love to say hello and welcome you to the excitement!
Meet our amazing 2024 marathon runners here:
Barry Davies
My name is Barry and I was diagnosed with retinoblastoma as a 2 year old. I am running the London marathon to raise funds for CHECT and help support the fantastic work they do – as a recent parent its made me appreciate what my parents went through and the vital work CHECT does is in supporting families.
Cal Foden
Hi, I’m Cal, and I’m thrilled to be running the London Marathon this year, supporting a small but important charity helping those with a really challenging illness that needs more awareness! I had retinoblastoma when I was a child in the mid-1990s so understand first-hand the impact it can have on people’s lives. I live in East London and have tried to run the London Marathon a couple of times before for CHECT but was stopped by injuries. This time training is going smoothly and I’m really excited to be part of such a great group of runners.
Dan Pitkin
Hi, I’m Dan. I was introduced to CHECT from a friend who took part in the London Marathon for CHECT last year.
Festus Fearon
Since my little girl Harper was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, I felt helpless but knew I wanted to do something. I got my running shoes out with a group of close friends and started running, and then we decided to run and try to raise not just money but awareness for other people who like us who hadn’t heard of retinoblastoma and could miss the signs that luckily for us we didn’t miss. I was meant to run the London Marathon back in 2022 for CHECT. Missing the London Marathon was tough. I’d trained hard for it, but I tore my calf and my Achilles at the same time before the event. Luckily, we still managed to raise close to £4000 and my best friend Jama took over and ran the marathon in my place and he was amazing. You can read more from Festus over on our blog.
Gabriella Heaney
I’m Gaby, a primary Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator working in London. I see first hand the challenges that families face when supporting their children.
I’m really excited to be running the London marathon with my friend Hannah, who introduced me to CHECT. We are running in support of her nephew and the amazing work that CHECT does for families of children with retinoblastoma.
Having run the Mini London marathon at 10 years old, running the London marathon has been a dream of mine for a very long time! I am honoured to be taking part this year in support of such an incredible cause.
Hannah Gaudry
Hi I’m Hannah, a 28 year old from Essex. I’m a primary school teacher working in Streatham. I’m supporting CHECT because my gorgeous nephew Noah Blanks, 10, was diagnosed with retinoblastoma when he was 4 years old. He went through rounds of chemotherapy and unfortunately it was not enough to save his eye. The whole time CHECT was there to support him and his family. Not only did they provide amazing relief for the family whilst going through something so difficult, but they always gave a huge amount on comfort and advice. I have previously raised money for CHECT when doing the Brighton Marathon. It is a privilege to raise money for CHECT and to build awareness of retinoblastoma.
Ollie Dain
Hi I’m Ollie from Birmingham. My son Forrest was diagnosed with retinoblastoma last February at 10 months old. He’s still undergoing treatment but everything is going in the right direction. Along our Rb journey, CHECT has been there to help us along the way. So to run the marathon and to raise funds for this great charity is a no brainer.
Sophie Locke
Hi, I’m Sophie and I have chosen to run the London Marathon for CHECT this year because my daughter’s nursery friend was diagnosed with retinoblastoma in 2021. Following what he and his family went through really made me aware of how important charities like CHECT are. It’s my first ever marathon so it will be a challenge for me, but nothing compared to the challenge that families with children who have been diagnosed with cancer, face. I’m honoured to be part of #TeamCHECT and am looking forward to raising awareness and running on behalf of them.
Tim Fuller & Alex Boyd
I will be running the London Marathon this year with my best pal Alex for CHECT to raise awareness on the impact to the lives of children and their families battling retinoblastoma, a rare and aggressive eye cancer. CHECT has supported my sister, Lorna’s family and countless others as they deal with the impact of retinoblastoma.
During the first COVID lockdown, my niece Imogen was diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma (eye cancer in both eyes ). She was 10 weeks old. Over the course of the next year, she went through a list of treatments that no adult should have to go through, let alone a baby!
They travelled from Barry in South Wales to Birmingham Children’s Hospital every 3 weeks undergoing examinations under anaesthetic, where the doctors would conduct laser treatment, radioactive plaque treatment, cryotherapy, or intravenous chemo injections depending on the stage of her treatment. Whilst also having 6 rounds of chemo closer to home, in Cardiff.
Immy is one amazing little girl, and with the strength of her parents, the expertise of the medical and nursing staff, and the support of CHECT, she has coped with every one of the challenges she has been faced with and will continue to be supported in this way as she navigates life with limited vision and any future treatments. Retinoblastoma may have taken the sight in her right eye and reduced the vision in her left, and she still has to endure regular trips to Birmingham Children’s Hospital for examinations under anaesthetic, BUT she is currently in remission which is fantastic news.
CHECT have supported Lorna, Mike & Immy every step of the way, and will continue to do so throughout Immy’s life. This is why I would appreciate any support you can give to enable CHECT to help more families like my sisters and to fund vital research into the treatment & prevention of retinoblastoma.
Tom Agricole
I’m Tom and I live in Suffolk with my wife Liz, son Hugo and French Bulldog Duke.
At 10 months old Hugo was diagnosed with retinoblastoma so I am running the London Marathon this year to support the great work that CHECT do in helping families like ours. It’s also extremely important to me to spread awareness of the condition.
This will be my first marathon so I am both excited and a little nervous for the big day!
Good luck to everyone running for team CHECT!
All of us at CHECT wish our London Marathon runners a huge good luck – we can’t wait to cheer you on! Interested in running a race for CHECT? Check out our fundraising page or get in touch at fundraising@chect.org.uk.