Johnny Pearson, who had cancer two years in the past, will run the London Marathon with each other with his stem cell donor, Sean Hagan. Photograph: Anthony Nolan charity
At the end of his cancer therapy two years in the past, Johnny Pearson could barely stroll.
As he stood up to leave hospital, his leg muscle tissues have been so weak that he fell to the ground. The 44-yr-previous, who lives in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, had undergone a number of rounds of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant. He knew he was fortunate that the Anthony Nolan charity had identified him a stem cell donor on their register (“otherwise my survival odds had been nil”) but recovering his power was hard.
Prior to diagnosis Pearson, who had lately began his personal wine organization, was quite energetic, playing cricket, golf and squash he employed to ski competitively and ran the Great North Run – even though at the finish line he “vowed never to do a marathon”. Now he’s gone back on his word, and will be taking part in the London Marathon on Sunday, along with his running partner, Sean Hagan, 23, an engineer from Cumbria.
“There’s no way I could do it with no him,” Pearson says. He is not exaggerating – he would not be alive without having Hagan, who takes place to be the guy who donated his stem cells two years ago.
Touched by the altruism of this complete stranger, Pearson wrote a thank you card to his donor following his transplant in 2012, starting a series of letters between the two of them. They exchanged information of their lives, all the whilst remaining anonymous (donors and recipients are only permitted to share their identities right after two many years). Final yr Pearson identified out that Anthony Nolan was the official charity for the 2014 marathon. “Dear friend,” he wrote to his donor. “In a second of sheer madness, I have signed up to run it. Perhaps you could do it with me? No pressure!!” Hagan was unfazed. The pair had by no means even met, but he didn’t truly feel like it was an provide he could refuse after all, his recipient had been on the verge of death and was still determined to run 26 miles and raise income for the charity that had supplied him a second opportunity at lifestyle. “Suppose I ideal get training!” Sean replied in his next letter.
It truly is the first time a donor and a recipient will run the London Marathon with each other. The two men only met a couple of months in the past when they were ultimately permitted to reveal their identities. “There was not any awkwardness,” Hagan says, “we’d been writing for so lengthy we had been currently pals. I felt we were friends from the minute I discovered out I was a match.” They toasted the two-year milestone with a handful of beers, before obtaining down to company – discussing marathon techniques and sharing ideas.
The strategy is to begin off gently, combining 15-minute bursts of running with one-minute pace-walking intervals, and pauses to refuel. The two guys are a tiny nervous – Hagan has struggled to find time for education with his twelve-hour evening shifts at a submarine business, and as I talk to Pearson, he’s sat with one leg plunged into a bucket of ice, getting aggravated an old cricket damage in his calf muscle. But they are assured it will be all appropriate on the day, with their families cheering them on, and the BBC following their progress.
“There’s no backing out now,” says Hagan, “we have done a number of interviews, there is a lot of pressure.” He’s a bit shy, satisfied that the media interest has currently sparked a rise in the variety of prospective donors signing up to the register, but embarrassed by any praise or suggestion that he’s a hero. “Donating was the best thing I’ve ever completed. I just hope by running we inspire far more people to indicator up.”
Together the men have presently raised all around £12,000 for Anthony Nolan in marathon sponsorship and other fundraising, like a ball organised by Hagan’s sisters.
Pearson says he’s fallen in enjoy with running now, addicted to the “rush of endorphins” he received from a 20-mile session last week. “The medical doctors feel I am crazy for undertaking it. All my organs have taken a beating, my lungs have been impacted, I had pneumonia at one particular point. At the time of my transplant I was advised there was a 50% opportunity I would not survive. But I’m extremely stubborn, when I get an notion into my head.” Hagan expects to be spurred on by fellow runners on Sunday. “I’ve noticed individuals with artificial limbs running it. And with Johnny next to me, realizing what he is been via, which is all the inspiration I need to have.”
Cancer survivor teams up with stem cell donor in bid for marathon glory
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