Meet Team Penny for the London Marathon 2024!

On Sunday 21^st April, 6 more inspired individuals will be taking on ‘the greatest race in the world’ – the iconic London Marathon!

They all have varied personal connections to Penny Brohn UK, with some having friends and family who have gone through a cancer diagnosis and having received personal care and support from the charity.

We asked each of them to share a short quote as to why it was important for them to support Penny Brohn UK during this year’s London Marathon.

Alice Holwell

My name is Alice and I’m 29 years old. I live in Bristol and have done my whole life. I found out about Penny Brohn UK when my Grandma started attending to gain support with her diagnosis. In 2020, I ran my own lockdown version of the Bristol 10k. While I ran my grandma showed her support by walking around her road all in aid of Penny Brohn UK.

Before my Grandma passed away we spoke about how I would continue to run to raise money for the charity that supported her so much. It’s been a huge personal achievement for me to start training because in 2022 I ruptured my ACL and at times thought there wasn’t a way back to sport. On the day it’ll be very bittersweet completing the run, as its going to be a huge achievement back to sport for myself but sad at the same time my grandma won’t be there to see me cross the line.

I’m excited to get to the start line now and continue to spread awareness for the charity that gave so much to my grandma and run this race in honour of her.

Caitlin Allan

I’m 25 and living in London, but originally from Leicester/Bristol! I work for the largest beer company in the world in their shopper marketing team and absolutely love it. I started running a 5k here and there in around September 2022 and slightly ramped up the running to nothing more than a 10-12k. Now I am here and questioning every other week what I’ve gotten myself into. It’s the biggest challenge I’ve ever embarked on but it’s definitely the most rewarding.

I already knew a lot about Penny Brohn and their amazing work through my friends and family and have also followed your page for years. Someone close to me recently went through cancer and managed to beat it! – so running for a charity which supports so many people through those tough times has truly motivated me.

Mark Allan

On 21^st April this year I will be running the London Marathon for the third time. This year I am running with my daughter, and we are raising money for Penny Brohn UK, a Bristol based cancer health and wellbeing charity.

Sophie Austin

I’m Sophie, I’m 30 and I live in Swindon. On 21^st April, I will be running my first marathon and I am very excited! I have been running on and off for years but I have really fallen in love with it over the last 18 months. I find that it really helps me manage my mental health and I love using the time to listen to my favourite podcasts and audiobooks. I have been really enjoying my marathon training plan and have even managed a new personal best at the Gloucester Half Marathon.

Penny Brohn UK were an amazing support for my mum and our family when she was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. The team there were so supportive and it was a safe space for her to meet people who could relate to her struggles and remind her to have some fun and laugh! It means so much to be running the London Marathon to support the amazing work that they do.

Noel Halligan

This is my 3^rd time running the London Marathon for Penny Brohn UK. A lot of the clients we see at the salon (NOCO Hair) are going through cancer treatment and chemotherapy, many of those come in to have their hair cut short or heads shaved. These individuals would typically get a partner or a friend to shave their head at home. We’re able to give them a more pleasant and personal experience. They can come in and have it done with more privacy and dignity.

Andrea Reed

I’m 53 and I’m from Tonbridge in Kent and on the 21st April 2024 I am running the London Marathon, my first ever marathon. I have been running for around 8 years and I usually run 3 times a week with a fabulous local group called Just Run Tonbridge. I was over the moon to get a ballot place for this year’s event. Getting a ballot place enables me to raise money for the 3 wonderful charities who have supported me on my cancer journey.

In March 2021, I joined the club that no one wants to join when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had surgery in April 2021, followed by 6 months of gruelling chemotherapy and then radiotherapy. During my treatment, the wonderful Penny Brohn UK provided me with reflexology, mindfulness and talking therapy. Having the reflexology during chemotherapy was something I looked forward to as it really helped to take my mind off the cold cap and chemotherapy. I’m supporting Penny Brohn so they can continue to help others live well with cancer.

We’d like to thank each of our runners for sharing their experience. The words used in each case study are preferred by the individual featured. Penny Brohn UK encourages everyone to use their own words to tell their story. If you have any questions about any of the language used, please email comms@pennybrohn.org.uk.