Edinburgh Marathon

Ben Brown

 I chose to help those who have had cancer get back to health, mainly in memory of my Mum who battled for a long time while smiling every day and for my dad who continues to manage his cancer. I ran a free cancer recovery class every Friday for many years up until covid and have  been priviledged to know and help many people through this. Lucy Scillitoe was in that class and an amazing person. She literally made everyone feel good, she worked to help others and she was a light that filled the room. I attended her memorial service earlier this year with her friend and fellow classmate Nicola Davidson. It was a hard day for me not just because of Lucy. My wife had just finished her 6 month personal marathon of operation, chemo and radiotherapy. I still can't believe it all happened, to her being diagnosed, telling our children and then the tumble down the hill of what she was to go through. She is in recovery now, getting back to health, coping with the new drugs and the effect of everythng she has been through. She is simply an amazing person who has been so strong for our family. I will run for the people who need help in the hardest times and will support Maggies to support them. I will run for Lucy and I will run for Ella-Kara. 

If you can help please do by using the just giving link. Thank you.  

I have left Lucy' written text below which she wrote when we first set out to do this. 

Cameron Millar

I was diagnosed with ALK+ non-smokers lung cancer in January 2020 and was in complete shock when told it was stage 4 and had spread to my liver, kidney, spine, and brain.   I did not imagine I would be alive never mind running a relay marathon 28 months later.   

ALK+ is something I had never heard of, but it’s caused by a defective gene that mutates causing an aggressive form of cancer.  Treatment has been at the Western General Hospital, and I have a brilliant oncologist and superb clinical nurse specialist looking after me very well. I’m on a targeted therapy treatment plan so basically take chemo pills every day.    

Within a few days of being diagnosed I made a decision to live. I could not do this alone and both Balanced and Maggie’s were part of a team that helped me find my feet.    

I had already been seeing Nora for weekly pilates sessions for the previous 8 years, so the trust was already established.   The discipline of pilates under the guidance of Nora has given me physical strength by focusing on the inner core and most importantly breathing.     

When Nora asked if I would run with the Balanced team at the Edinburgh 2022 marathon the answer was an immediate yes, my gratitude to these people runs deep. Maggie’s was a charity I knew of before diagnosis, many people had told me how they had helped in a time of darkness. I found myself knocking on their door when I was diagnosed, actually the door was open and welcoming.   Maggie’s are brilliant, not just for being able to talk out fears but also for cooking advice (yes I went full scale vegan overnight to prepare the body for treatment) and meeting other patients in a relaxed setting. So when Nora said they were raising money for Maggie’s I was an immediate double yes, this is an opportunity to pay respect and show gratitude for one of the best charities in Edinburgh. Thank you Maggie’s, I hope we raise a significant sum. 

Living life, loving life one day at a time 

Nora Murray

So many of us have our lives affected by cancer.  These days, sadly, we all have relatives and friends who are battling cancer, have had cancer or we have lost to cancer. I lost both my Uncle and my Aunt to bowel cancer.  My Uncle almost 30 years ago and my Aunt just last year.  We all have our own story.  For many years I’ve taken part in events to help raise funds for the various organisations who support the fight against cancer and who support the families dealing with cancer.  I just want to try to help.

Finlay Campbell 

I am running part of the Edinburgh Marathon on 29th May for Maggies who provide invaluable support not only for people living withcancer but also their families and loved ones. Cancer is something which sadly will affect most people in some form and Maggies is a charity which facilitates immeasurable aid to them.

Lucy Scillitoe 

I remember life before Cancer. I can’t remember life without it.

We all have a story to tell and as I write mine, I want to start by saying I consider myself one of the lucky ones. After all, I am here! 

After many months of a nagging feeling that there was something different in one of my boobs, I finally made an appointment to have it checked. After an initial misdiagnosis, I turned from relief to shock as it was confirmed that I had lobular carcinoma which included a 6 cm mass. I was told that the treatment I needed would make me very sick, lose my hair and become a regular patient. They weren’t kidding! The 2 years of treatment were brutal. First came 4 months of Chemo, followed by a full mastectomy and a complex reconstruction.  Radiotherapy and 2 further operations followed.  

I had always been a supporter of Maggie’s  and raised funds through attendance at glamorous lunches and by completing sporting challenges, but I was initially reluctant to visit the centre myself.  I believe it was due to my lack of acceptance of now being on the other side. “Don’t you dare see me as a victim, I simply have cancer!”

Imagine a time when you are at your lowest and cannot make sense of anything.  Your usual sense of self and strength to simply work through what life throws at you, has disappeared.   You are undeniably different; confused, terrified and don’t know what to do with all of these feelings. This is where Maggie’s comes in – and certainly came in for me.  Through compassionate questioning and unfathomable empathy, they helped me work through every fear and frustration, and gave me the strength to move onwards.

 ‘Balanced’ was know to me as somewhere you go with a sports injury so when the counsellor at Maggie’s suggested I attend the Friday Pilates session which had been created specifically for those going through or recovering from treatment, I was terrified.  I hadn’t exercised since I was diagnosed, I had lost all confidence in myself physically and I had no hair!  Another threshold to be conquered.  From the moment I met Ben and the other class members I realised, once again, that I was about to receive kindness combined with practical help in the form of customised exercises to help me get through to the other side!

Maggie’s and Balanced provided immeasurable physical and emotional support and, alongside the incredible support from my friends and family, helped me to get through the most challenging period of my life. Thank you to you all.