Jo Foster (40) ran the London Marathon for the second time on Sunday 26th April for The Anthony Nolan Trust, in memory of her brother Stuart, who sadly died in 2005 from Leukaemia. Jo completed the race in 4hours 37minutes raising £2,890 (and still counting) for the Charity.
Jo was one of 236 people running the marathon for Anthony Nolan, contributing to an expected total of £315,000. The charity saves lives by encouraging people to join their bone marrow register and by providing life saving donors to hundreds of children and adults waiting for transplants.
Jo's brother Stuart was diagnosed with cancer before he developed leukaemia. Stuart was a wonderful husband, father, son and brother. The Anthony Nolan Trust eventually found a bone marrow donor for Stuart in America, but unfortunately it was too late for him and he sadly died aged just 38 in August 2005.
Jo ran the marathon in 2005 just before he died having been inspired by The Anthony Nolan Trust’s work and the desperate search for a donor for Stuart. It took a few years and the birth of her third child to realise that she couldn't do anything about Stuart's death and that perhaps she could do something to help another family's loved one to survive. ‘Stuart was always so incredibly grateful to The Anthony Nolan Trust for all they did on his behalf. Perhaps if a donor had been found sooner, he might still be here.’
Over 1,400 people per year search for a suitable bone marrow donor, yet only half of them currently can be found suitable matches from The Anthony Nolan Trust’s register. With fewer than 30% of patients able to find a compatible donor in their own family, the rest rely on the generosity of strangers.
“It was fantastic weather on the day for the spectators, but very hot for us runners. The atmosphere was incredible with everyone urging you to keep going. I had wonderful support from my best friend Jo (who sadly had to pull out of running through injury) and my incredible parents, husband and children (Olly 7, Izzy 5 and Phoebe 1). The Anthony Nolan supporters were also fabulous- shouting and waving. It made such a difference to see them and lots of fellow Anthony Nolan runners. By mile 19, the heat had got to me and I wasn't feeling too great from then on but I just remembered all that Stuart had gone through and kept going. As soon as I reached mile 25 I found a burst of energy, put my head down and forged to the end and it couldn't have come soon enough!Despite finding it tough going, it was nothing in comparison to what my brother and others like him had to go through and I'm so glad I did it
Although I ran on my own I couldn't have done it without the fantastic support I got from my family and friends and my trainers Dave and Amanda. It was difficult to manage the seemingly endless hours of pounding the streets in training, but my husband, parents and friends were brilliant in looking after my three children to enable me to do it. It was a true team effort in the end
Over 16,000 children and adults worldwide are currently seeking a suitable bone marrow donor. In order to save everyone that needs them, The Anthony Nolan Trust urgently needs to increase the number of people on its register. That’s why the charity needs more money from pubic donations.
