A SOLIHULL couple are on track to raise £40,000 in honour of their son as the take on the London Marathon this weekend.
Sean and Rachel Morgan will be taking on the 26.2-mile race on Sunday (April 26) for Leukaemia UK after their son, Charlie was diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia.
In December 2024, Charlie was living life to the fullest, with no health problems.
Newly married and working as an analyst within the financial technology sector, he was also settling into his new home, having just moved to Hong Kong with his wife, Danielle, to resume a rugby playing contract with Hong Kong Scottish.
Excited to see their son and daughter-in-law, Sean and Rachel flew out to celebrate Christmas as a family.
But in January 2025, everything changed.
Charlie had been rushed to hospital and a blood test revealed a very high white blood cell count.
Almost immediately after the blood test, Charlie was told that he had some form of leukaemia, but they would need to do further tests to determine what type.
Charlie added: “If you’d have told me when Danielle and I touched down in Hong Kong in October 2024, that three months later I would be lying in the foetal position, under the weight of two nurses, having a bone marrow extraction to determine which type of leukaemia I had, I would have eaten my hat.”
In February 2025, Charlie was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML).
CML is very rare in Charlie’s age group as only 80 people aged 25 to 39 are diagnosed in the UK each year. Symptoms of CML are likely to develop slowly and include frequent infections, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, or bruising.
After an initial course of treatment, Charlie and Danielle decided to relocate back to the UK so Charlie could continue treatment under the care of the haematology department at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, then Hammersmith Hospital.
Inspired by the compassion and expertise shown by all of Charlie’s medical teams, Sean and Rachel have welcomed the challenge of running the London Marathon for Leukaemia UK – and raising an incredible £40,000 for leukaemia research.
Sean and Rachel said: “Just like leukaemia, this is a challenge we never imagined we would take on. And it’s fair to say that we are not runners!
“A marathon was always one of those ‘maybe one day’ ideas, the kind you never truly think will come true. But January 2025 changed everything and sparked a real motivation for both of us to tackle a big challenge head on, and right now.
“We are both in complete awe of our son. From the very beginning, he has faced this journey with a strength, humour and courage that humbles us every single day. We couldn’t be prouder of him.
“We’re honoured to be running on behalf of Leukaemia UK, to help fund life-changing research, raise awareness and advocate for better outcomes for people who receive a leukaemia diagnosis, like Charlie. We’re so grateful for everyone’s donations and support.”
For more or to donate click here.
