Theresa's Story - Malignant Melanoma
I am a 45 year old textile artist, wife and mum of three children. In 2005 I ran my 1st marathon in Edinburgh in 3hrs 36 mins. In June 2008 I managed to achieve a personal ambition by running my 5th marathon in 3 hrs 13 mins which gave me an automatic championship entry to the London Marathon.
Shortly after this, following the removal of a mole on my back, I was diagnosed with melanoma.
This changed things for me, I was at my peak of fitness, ready to achieve even more personal bests, but actually didn’t run seriously again for over a year.
After reading about Karen Clifford, I realised how so very lucky I had been and began to feel very, very fortunate. In December 2009 I decided to start running seriously again; take the opportunity of my Championship Place and raise funds and awareness for Skcin.
I didn’t find the training easy and there were times whilst I was out battling against the elements that I wondered why and thought about giving it all up and not running the marathon. But remembering how lucky I am and knowing how different things could have been, always got me through my training and kept me going. I ran the 2010 London Marathon not to achieve a P.B, but because I could. Twenty two months after my diagnosis I'm alive, fit, running and able! I crossed the line with a finishing time of 3hr 23mins and felt elated. It wasn't my fastest, but it was my most exceptional and I raised £2000 for Skcin in the process.