Support Gabs and Shane’s Half Marathon for PHA UK!

Gabs and Shane are running the Brighton Half Marathon on 1st March 2026 to raise money for PHA UK!

Hi, I’m Alice and I’ll be running Shane and Gabs’ GoFundMe page, because let’s be honest, it’s the only kind of running I’ll be doing!

They’ve just begun training as complete beginners, and I’ll be sharing updates on their JustGiving page so you can follow their journey every step of the way (often with our Ella in tow when weather allows).

They are running in support of PHA UK because this cause is incredibly close to our hearts. In 2018, Marie, Shane’s mother-in-law and Gabs’ auntie, was diagnosed with an extremely rare condition called idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary Hypertension itself is rare and is thought to affect just 1 to 2 percent of the population. Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension is even rarer, with only around 1 to 2 cases per million people.

PHA UK receives no funding from the government. This is why people like Gabs and Shane raising money makes such a huge difference. PHA UK is the only charity in the country dedicated solely to pulmonary hypertension. Due to the condition’s rarity, the charity often doesn’t receive the recognition or fundraising opportunities that larger and more well-known organisations do.

Back in 2018, Marie had already spent over a year relying on a wheelchair because just standing up would cause her to pass out. There were countless ambulance trips and emergency visits to A&E. Then, in August 2018, she had an appointment with the Pulmonary Hypertension Team at Hammersmith Hospital that changed everything. She was told she would need to stay and begin emergency treatment right away. Without it, doctors estimated she had just one to three years to live.

It was one of the hardest and most emotional times our family has ever faced.

Marie underwent multiple tests and was fitted with a 24-hour infusion pump. She now prepares vials of her medication and changes her pump daily. Seven years later, she is still with us, living as fully as her condition allows. She is currently on the waitlist for a double lung and heart transplant, as there is still no cure for this disease.

The team at Hammersmith Hospital are nothing short of superheroes. We will never be able to thank them enough for saving Marie’s life.

Please help us support PHA UK by donating or even just sharing this page. Your kindness can help the charity continue their incredible work supporting patients and families, as well as funding life-changing research. Every donation brings us closer to better treatment options, more hope and one day a cure.

To learn more about PHA UK or to find out other ways to help, please visit: https://www.phauk.org

Thank you so much for your support!