“I’m running the London Marathon for Munashe”

Guts UK was lucky to secure 5 places for this year’s London Marathon. This is a once in a lifetime event for our runners. We are thrilled to introduce you to our the first member of our 2021 team!

We were also blessed to receive an extra runner this year, using his own ballot place who wanted to help the UK get to grips with guts, making us a mighty team of 6!

We wanted to highlight each individual runner and share their story and why they chose to run for Guts UK.

Meet our first runner, Chris:

Chris sadly lost his best friend Munashe in April 2021 to stomach cancer. Chris is dedicating this run to his friend.

“Munashe’s death came just 5 months after diagnosis back in December 2020, in which he left behind his family, loving girlfriend and many close friends. Although physical contact with Munashe was ultimately limited throughout his battle due to COVID-19, I was one of many who was fortunate to share some great memories with him throughout his life.”

“I originally applied to run the London Marathon whilst Munashe was still here with us all – in hope that he’d be able to attend. Nonetheless, I know he’ll be there in spirit. This run is dedicated to him.” – Chris.

Guts UK’s work into stomach cancer:

Chris wanted to run for a charity that supports stomach cancer patients. He stumbled upon Guts UK through a recommendation whilst searching for the right charity.

Guts UK are proudly funding a research project into stomach cancer, carried out by Dr Marnix Jansen. Dr Jansen’s team plan to explore a new, more targeted approach when taking samples of tissue (biopsies) for stomach cancer and will use cutting-edge techniques to begin understanding the changes in DNA that present in these biopsies. The more we can understand about these DNA changes, the closer we become to finding a cure for people like Munashe.

Fewer than 1 in 5 people diagnosed with stomach cancer will survive beyond 5 years of diagnosis. Guts UK wants to change this. This research could save lives, diagnosing stomach cancer early, giving people a fighting chance.

We are absolutely thrilled to have Chris a part of our team this year. It is a beautiful and powerful thing to fundraise in memory of a loved one.

“I feel honoured to to run for team Guts UK this October. Any donations would be greatly appreciated and will contribute to a profoundly great cause.”

If you would like to support Chris, head to his JustGiving page. If you’re feeling inspired by Chris’ story and dedication, discover how you can fundraise for Guts UK today, or introduce yourself – we’d love to hear from you!