Teenage Cancer Trust, the 2018 Virgin Money London Marathon charity of the year, has announced a total of £1.8 million raised through the partnership. The funds will help more young people with cancer access the specialist nursing care they desperately need.
The ‘Be a Legend’ theme to the partnership saw the charity recruit its biggest ever team of Virgin Money London Marathon runners and volunteers, making up #TeamLegend. The team of over 700 runners included celebrities Rochelle Humes and Joel Dommett, and young people previously supported by the charity, such as 24-year-old Tim Mills from South Wales, whose story was featured in the BBC’s live Race Day coverage.
Tim was treated for acute lymphoblastic lymphoma on a Teenage Cancer Trust unit in Cardiff in 2014, where he was supported by specialist Teenage and Young Adult nurses, and a Youth Support Coordinator, all funded by the charity.
Tim said, “The atmosphere on the Teenage Cancer Trust unit was so welcoming, the staff so friendly. In December 2017, I finally finished my treatment. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The relief to have got to the end was huge, but I’d built up such strong relationships with the Teenage Cancer Trust team. Going in for the last time and saying goodbye to the nurses was really hard, knowing that I might not see them again, after they’d played such a special and crucial part in the last four years of my life.”
Currently, only half of young people with cancer in the UK can access specialist nursing care on Teenage Cancer Trust Units. Linda Noon, Interim Director of Fundraising at Teenage Cancer Trust, explained how the vital funds will help towards bringing this specialist care to every young person: “We are delighted to announce that this partnership has raised £1.8 million for Teenage Cancer Trust. We are an organisation that relies 100 percent on voluntary donations. The money raised as a result of this partnership will help us extend our revolutionary nursing outreach programme and support many more young people with cancer across the UK, no matter where they live.
“We would like to say a massive ‘thank you’ to all of the runners and volunteers who took part, you are all true legends.”
To find out more about Teenage Cancer Trust, visit teenagecancertrust.org
