Running the London Marathon for Tegan

Hi, My name is Sam Izzard and I'm running the Marathon for Tegan Ridley.

Tegan was 14 when she noticed a small bald patch on her head. 3 weeks later she was diagnosed with alopecia areata. It became so patchy that she decided to have her lovely long hair shaved off and donate it to ‘The little Princess trust’ Within 2 months she also lost all her hair on her arms and legs. As well as the alopecia, Tegan was being monitored for diabetes as she frequently felt unwell, tired, breathless or just not right. Due to this she ended up with kidney damage and is awaiting having her heart checked. She has yearly check ups to make sure her creatinine levels are not increasing. The good news is the kidney damage has stopped at age 16, the bad news is they found some swollen glands and lymph nodes. She has had ultra sound and biopsies which have shown she now has Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She has had PET scan and is now receiving chemo therapy. Up until the end of June 2023 Tegan was competing at international level for cheerleading, taking her team to compete in Orlando America where they were ranked 5th in the world. She is still coaching in this sport but doesn’t have the energy to compete.

I have known Tegan since she was born and I am overwhelmed by her enthusiasm for life and her wicked humour even with all that she has been through. That is why I am running the London Marathon for Tegan.

Thank you for your donations.