Team Zoe are running a Sprint Tri for Maggies!

“Who are you speaking to, daddy?”

“Ela,” I whisper as I clutch the phone closer to my ear and let my three-year-old son Mark crawl onto my lap.

“Is she at the hospital?”

"No, she's at Maggie’s House.”

“I like Maggie’s House. When can we go there again?”

Mark and his six-year-old brother John have been spending time at Maggie’s House because their mum Zoë, 37, is living with an incurable brain tumour.

Maggie’s, which has centres all over the UK, provides social and psychological support to anyone affected by cancer. It’s a place you can pop into for a cup of tea, or receive help navigating the financial worries caused by cancer. You might attend support groups there or even participate in a yoga class.

We’ve found our local Cheltenham centre to be a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of the oncology centre just over the road. It’s a place where we’ve made friends with other people living with life-limiting cancer; friendships that have proved invaluable to Zoë, me and our boys.

In the two years since her "out of the blue" Glioblastoma diagnosis, Zoë has endured two lengthy brain surgeries; radiotherapy and six cycles of chemotherapy. She wears an Optune device on her head (to try and stop cancer cells from dividing) – and thanks to crowdfunding, is currently receiving a personalised cancer vaccine in Germany (see https://www.gofundme.com/f/a-vaccine-to-help-zoe-fight-cancer for more details).

Zoë, who is an English teacher, was humbled by the incredible generosity and overwhelming messages of support she received when we were crowdfunding for her overseas treatment – and would like to give something back to one of the many charities who have supported her over the past two years.

She has set herself the ambitious goal of running the Cheddar Sprint Triathlon on the 2nd April 2023 (400m swim + 20k bike + 5k run), to raise money for Maggie’s (alongside me, her sister Verity, brother Alex and brother-in-law Adam).

Since the surgeries she has acquired epilepsy and has lost her peripheral vision on the right-hand side, so she will be accompanied by a chaperone on the bike section, which will take place on open roads and up Cheddar gorge! Just like the Tour of Britain!

Prior to her cancer diagnosis, Zoë competed in a number of triathlons/biathlons and was a regular Park Runner.

Throughout radiotherapy she keep up her swimming in Cheltenham Lido, and got back to Park Run during chemotherapy, hitting 50 runs just before Christmas! This will be her first triathlon since treatment.

Maggie’s was founded by Maggie Keswick Jencks, a true visionary, who believed that with the right support, “nobody would lose the joy of living in the fear of dying” when diagnosed with cancer.

It’s a value that those who know Zoë will recognise.

If you can spare any cash to help Zoë raise funds for this wonderful charity, we would be so very grateful.

Many thanks – Matthew (Zoë’s husband)

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