A WOMAN diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer has completed the London Landmarks Half Marathon to raise awareness of the disease and the need to find a cure.
Hannah King-Page, age 41, from Meriden, completed the run on Sunday April 9.
After her diagnosis with a glioblastoma (GBM) brain tumour in November 2020, Hannah set up a Fundraising Group under the umbrella of Brain Tumour Research known as Hannah’s Kingdom which has raised more than £24,000 to date.
She said: “Amazingly, Sunday was a lovely sunny day after all the rain, although a strong wind thanks to Storm Kathleen blew us runners sideways at times.
“The atmosphere in London was fabulous with lots of spectators all along the route, shouting words of encouragement.
“I was pretty pleased with myself, especially as my training had been hampered by periods of back pain and foot drop – a condition that makes it hard to lift or move your foot and toes when walking, or indeed running.”
Hannah started running two years before she was diagnosed with a brain tumour, after suffering with seizures, through the Couch to 5K (C25K) programme, although rowing was her main sport then.
But it was eight months after her brain surgery, in late summer 2021, that she did the C25K again and became a member of Balsall Common Run Club.
Hannah added: “I went back to running to build up my physical health, which was my main goal for my rehab after surgery.
“It has been really good for me and I’ve also made lots of new friends who have all been terrifically supportive.”
Her treatment for the GBM brain tumour, which has an average survival prognosis of between 12 and 18 months, has included gruelling radiotherapy and chemotherapy which sadly forced her to give up her dream job as a physiotherapist.
After having to stop work, and she has taken on a variety of fundraising challenges including a charity firewalk, along with many friends from Balsall Common Run Club, running the Solihull Half Marathon and Brain Tumour Research’s Jog 26 Miles in May.
She is looking forward to taking on the once-in-a-lifetime Trek Sahara 2025 next March which she hopes will raise at least £2,740, enough to sponsor the equivalent of a day of research.
Visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/HannahsKingdom for more information.
