London Marathon

I am completing the London Marathon on 2nd October 2022 in memory of my mum, Eryl Connolly.

Mum died from Breast Cancer in 2011 at Sobell House, Oxford. She had just turned 58, I was 29. Mum had originally been diagnosed in 2006 and went through chemo and radiotherapy then.

I don’t remember the cancer being a heavy cloud above us so when it came back and she got very ill and died in just over a month it was an entire shock.

There was nothing we could do, she tried so hard to stay alive, it was so painful and traumatic to watch. I could not believe what was happening.

The grief was so physical, I felt like I had been stabbed through the heart, I often still do.

I try my best to feel lucky that I had my mum for 29 years, I know there are others who aren’t so fortunate but in reality it doesn’t feel fair that she never got to meet Josie, enjoy her retirement and her endless hobbies.

I don’t want Josie to have to go through what I did, if lives can be saved with more research, I need to try and help. We set up Mum’s tribute fund when she died and have so far raised over £12,000 in her memory.

I am not a runner, my aim is to finish it and if I don’t I will have tried my best! I know it is going to be hard, but I cant imagine anything ever being as hard as watching mum being so ill and what she went through. The funny thing is mum would probably tell me I was being entirely ridiculous and why don’t I try a sponsored silence instead!

If you could leave a donation of any amount, I would be eternally grateful!