This time last year, Sean had never run more than a 10K. Now, he has several half‑marathons under his belt and has raised almost £20,000 for Prevent Breast Cancer.
“I’ve always watched the marathon as a spectator,” says Sean. “But I’d never had the motivation to do it.”
Everything changed last April, when Zoe was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Suddenly, running 26.2 miles felt like something he could do to make a difference.
“We can all make a small difference, whether it’s raising money for research or raising awareness,” Sean says. “And you get healthier in yourself, too. You also feel better mentally. With everything that’s gone on, running has really helped me stay positive.”
It was shortly after Zoe’s 30th birthday that she found the lump under her arm. Had she been even a year younger, her path to treatment would have been very different.
“If she were under 30, she would not have been referred to a specialist,” Sean explains.
Prevent Breast Cancer is the UK’s only charity dedicated entirely to predicting and preventing breast cancer long before it develops by identifying who is at highest risk - including young women who are below the standard screening age. Zoe’s story illustrates why this mission is important. Like so many younger women, she fell below the routine screening age, despite having symptoms. Her experience exposes a gap in early detection. The charity funds pioneering research to identify who is at highest risk, develops new ways to detect cancer earlier, and campaigns for better access to screening for younger women.
After her diagnosis, further tests revealed that the cancer had already spread to Zoe’s bones. It was considered incurable. But Zoe responded exceptionally well to chemotherapy: the cancer is no longer present in the breast or bones, and she has since undergone a double mastectomy.
“They are now treating it with a curable approach. For the first five months, it was incurable because it was metastatic,” Sean says. “She has defied the odds to some extent, and it has gone as well as we could have hoped.”
Zoe still has radiotherapy and further treatment ahead, but her progress so far has been remarkable.
Meanwhile, Sean’s fundraising total continues to rise, already approaching £20,000, a testament to the support and love surrounding the couple.
“Everyone knows how brutal this year has been for Zoe and me,” he says. “Our friends, family and colleagues have been incredibly generous.”
One of the most inspiring parts of Sean’s fundraising has been the way it has brought people together. While donations from close friends and family helped get the page off the ground, taking the fundraising offline has opened the door to an even wider circle of support.
Zoe’s mum has played a huge role in rallying her community behind Sean’s marathon effort. She hosted a “cancer café” in a local hall, where people donated homemade cakes and fresh coffee. Seventy‑five people turned up, raising an incredible £1,000 in just one afternoon.
It’s not the only event they have planned either, as Sean is hosting a dinner-and-dance evening in March, complete with raffle and auction prizes generously donated by supporters.
If you're wondering how to take your fundraising to the next level, it might just be worth asking those around you how they would tackle it, or if they have any favours they can call in.
