He was the friend who was ‘the life and soul’ of every party, music festival or night in the pub. Gaz Emmerson tragically died from a rare cancer aged just 29 – now a group of his pals are running the London Marathon together in his memory.
Calling themselves ‘Team Gaz’, Adam Fanthorpe, 31, who lives in Walthamstow; Matt Keville, 37, who lives in Brentford, and Zoe Anastasiou, 33, and James Percival, 33, who live in Mile End, are taking part in the 26-mile race on 26 April.
Gaz was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in his sacrum in 2014 after visiting a GP with lower back pain he believed was caused by going to the gym, only to discover he had a tumour the size of two tennis balls. He underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy and was cancer-free for two years but in 2016 the cancer returned in his lungs. Despite more treatment and a stem cell transplant, it became increasingly aggressive and spread; in November 2020 his diagnosis was terminal.
Gaz would frequently head straight from a gruelling round of chemotherapy to the pub to meet his mates. Following his terminal diagnosis, he was determined to turn something negative into something positive and set out on a mission to raise as much money as possible for Sarcoma UK with the hope that one day others wouldn’t have to go through what he did.
He raised an incredible £140,000 for the charity by the time he died, conquering a 1,000-mile cycle from Land’s End to John o’ Groats while on chemotherapy. The London Marathon was next on his list but sadly he didn’t get to tackle it after he died in August 2022. Now four of his closest friends will be taking it on in his honour.
For Adam, Zoe and James this will be their first marathon. Adam, who works for a media company, said he and Gaz hit it off immediately when they first met as teenagers. He said: ‘The London Marathon was the next big challenge that Gaz wanted to tackle so it’s only right that I take it on in his memory and do my best mate proud. His achievements and legacy are inspirational and will be keeping me going. In true Gaz style, I’ll be raising a pint or three at the finish line.’
Zoe Anastasiou, a civil servant, said: ‘For myself and James, 2026 is a year of celebration as we prepare for our wedding, but one seat at the top table will be empty. By running 26 miles for Sarcoma UK, we are ensuring Gaz’s “life and soul” energy is part of our special year.’
Gaz, originally from Shrewsbury but who moved to East London, remained involved with Sarcoma UK until the end of his life, speaking at fundraising events and continuing to raise awareness. Gaz’s wife Zoe Homer has since become a Sarcoma UK Ambassador; many of his friends and family have continued fundraising challenges for the charity including 50 of them completing the Three Peaks Challenge together in 2023 which raised a whopping £60,000.
Sarcoma UK’s Director of Fundraising and Communications, Kerry Reeves-Kneip, said: ‘Gaz was truly one in a million. Even facing the most unimaginable circumstances, his energy, generosity and determination to help others never wavered for a single moment. Team Gaz is a wonderful reflection of the person he was – someone who inspired everyone around him to be better. Ewing sarcoma is a devastating disease that predominantly affects young people, and research into new treatments is desperately needed. Every pound raised by Gaz and his incredible friends brings us closer to the day when a diagnosis like his no longer means what it meant for him.’
To donate to Team Gaz, go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/team-gaz-marathon
