Our Office Manager, Louise, is running this year’s London Marathon to raise money and awareness for The Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation; a cause that is very close to her heart.
Tom, whose family lives in the same village as Louise and her husband and two children, died in October 2013, following a short but incredibly brave battle with a rare and very aggressive form of cancer called a Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumour, along with extensive peritoneal disease. He was only 19 years old.
In 2014, his parents Richard and Nikki, knowing that their son had intended to set up a charity to support teenagers and young adults with cancer, set up the Foundation in Tom’s name.
To date, the Foundation has raised over £1.8m.
This is the second time Louise has applied to run in the London Marathon and she is delighted to have been successful, as she explained; “There are a lot of larger, well known cancer charities that are represented every year, but I want to run for Tom.
“The cost-of-living crisis has hit smaller charities the hardest, and they are so deserving of our support. They are often set up and administered by family members in memory of a loved one, so there is so much at stake because of the emotional investment.
“I know the Bowdidge family well and have been raising funds for them since 2017 through various bake sales and 10K runs, half marathons and bike rides but this is the first marathon I have run on their behalf, in fact it’s the first marathon I’ve ever run.”
Although an avid runner, Louise is feeling understandably nervous; “I am well underway with my training and am running two to three times a week but I’m aware that long-distance running requires a certain mindset.
She continued; “I am certain I will finish but if I need some encouragement at any point, I’ll recall what Tom used to say to his mum, which has since been adopted as the charity’s motto, which is ‘crack on’.”
The London Marathon is taking place on Sunday 21 April. If you would like to help Louise reach her £1,000 fundraising target, you can make a donation by following this link – https://2024tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/louise-wright-tbf
Any amount will be greatly appreciated and will go towards helping a young person who is having to face life with cancer.