A Bedfordshire woman is running the TCS London Marathon for a friend she met through social media who lost one of her legs due to a rare sarcoma cancer.
Willemijn Rush, 31, of Beckerings Park, has never run a marathon before but was inspired to take part in the event by her friend Sarah Wilson, 28, from Coventry, who was diagnosed with a bone cancer called Ewing sarcoma in 2022. The two met on Instagram over a shared love of their dogs, cocker spaniels.
She said: “Sarah went to see a physio due to some knee and shin pain. Symptoms were vague but got significantly worse during the night, and she felt generally very tired. All alarm bells went off, and her physiotherapist referred Sarah for diagnostics, which gave her the horrible news.
“As a triage physiotherapist working in a clinical environment, I know it is vital we screen thoroughly. There is not enough awareness of cancers like sarcoma, and that is why I am running in the marathon for the cancer charity Sarcoma UK.”
Willemijn added: “Sarah was on a break with her dogs in Wales when she slipped and unfortunately broke that knee. She had to be airlifted to hospital, and it was decided to amputate the leg so the cancer could not spread.
“Despite her struggles, Sarah is the strongest young woman around. There’s a lot that needs adjusting for her to live comfortably at home. Life has thrown her all sorts of curve balls, but her positive attitude and care for others have never changed. Her mindset during this all really hit me hard and should be an inspiration to us all. I am beyond thrilled to say she’s currently free of cancer and working really hard to get used to her prosthetic leg.”
Willemijn has had to endure her own health challenges with epilepsy over the past few years but is looking forward to the marathon on 21 April.
Kerry Reeves-Kneip, Director of Communications and Fundraising at Sarcoma UK, said: “This story highlights the power of human connection in the digital age. Despite not meeting in person, Sarah and Willemijn have found a way to support each other. Our support line is also open for those who would like to speak to our specialist support staff. They can be reached at: https://sarcoma.org.uk/support/
“We are also currently funding several research projects that will hopefully help to improve diagnosis and develop new and more effective treatments for Ewing sarcoma, the type of sarcoma that Sarah had. We are enormously grateful to Willemijn for her efforts to raise money for Sarcoma UK and will be cheering her on every step of the 26-mile journey. Sarcoma UK works to raise public awareness of the signs and symptoms of sarcoma cancers and increase research to improve early detection and develop new treatments.”
To donate to Willemijn, go to https://2024tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/willemijn-rush
