18-year-old Katie Oates, a childhood cancer survivor from Mill Hill, London, is set to run the TCS London Marathon for the first time this Sunday, April 27, in support of Children with Cancer UK, the leading children’s cancer charity in the UK. Katie’s participation in the marathon marks a significant milestone in her journey and aims to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer research and support.
Inspired by her own experiences, Katie has taken on the 26.2-mile challenge to help children facing cancer. Katie said:
I’m running the Marathon to give back to children with cancer, offering them hope for better treatments and a brighter future. Every step I take is in honour of the children still fighting and in memory of those who didn’t get the chance. I’m also running to prove to myself that my experience with childhood cancer doesn’t define or control me; it has made me stronger. This Marathon is my way of showing that I am capable of achieving something powerful, not in spite of my past, but because of it.
At just three years old, Katie was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. She said:
While other kids my age were playing outside, giggling on swings, and making their first memories of freedom, I was confined to a hospital bed, fighting for my life. My childhood was spent in sterile hospital rooms instead of playgrounds, enduring treatments that have saved my life but left behind lasting scars, both visible and invisible.
The childhood cancer treatments were gruelling and the side effects were extremely hard on Katie’s body. Some of the drugs she received as a child are no longer used today because of their harsh and damaging side effects. Katie said:
These treatments saved my life, but they left behind chronic reminders. I bear a port scar on my side – a permanent mark of the countless infusions that coursed through my tiny veins. The side effects lingered far beyond the treatments, with ongoing hospital visits that still continue today.
The year Katie was diagnosed, her family and friends refused to sit by helplessly but instead channelled their heartbreak into action, forming ‘Team Katie’ – a group of dedicated runners who have taken on the TCS London Marathon each year for the last 15 years raising over £100,000 for Children with Cancer UK. The mission of Team Katie is to raise money for childhood cancer, supporting vital research and working towards kinder treatments. Katie said:
Team Katie became more than a group, it became a symbol of hope. Every step they take is a step toward making the journey easier for children like me.
Every day in the UK, 10 families are given the devastating news that their child has cancer. Children with Cancer UK funds research into the causes of childhood cancers and the development of kinder, less toxic treatments. They support young people and their families through treatment and beyond. Their vision is a world where every child survives cancer.
The TCS London Marathon is the biggest annual fundraising event for Children with Cancer UK and this year the charity is hoping to raise £3 million. Every pound raised will help to fund ground-breaking scientific research into the treatment and causes of childhood cancer and provide crucial ongoing support for young cancer patients and their loved ones.
Amar Naher, Children with Cancer UK Interim CEO said:
Katie’s determination and resilience serve as an inspiration to many, and her efforts will contribute to improving the lives of children affected by cancer. Sadly, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death for children and young people in the UK. The donations Katie and Team Katie have tirelessly helped raise will fund life-saving research for childhood cancer and support services for families facing a cancer diagnosis during their most challenging times.
To support Katie and to donate to Children with Cancer UK, visit Katie’s online giving page.
Visit Children with Cancer UK’s website for more information on the charity and childhood cancer.
About Children with Cancer UK:
Children with Cancer UK is the leading children’s cancer charity in the UK. Our vision is a world where every child and young person survives their cancer diagnosis. Our mission is to improve survival rates and the quality of survival in young patients, and to find ways to prevent cancer in the future. We are dedicated to raising and investing funds into vital research that helps us understand childhood cancers and improves treatments. We support families as they navigate treatment and life beyond cancer. What began as a small memorial charity in 1988, has evolved into a leading childhood cancer charity raising more than £300 million and investing in over 300 pioneering research projects.
Press Enquiries:
For all press enquiries, please email media@childrenwithcancer.org.uk or call 0800 222 9000 and ask for the media team.
