Lewis Seaby

My story and journey

Six marathons. Over £20,000 raised. And one very personal reason for every mile.

Sadly, cancer is something that touches almost every family. Most of us will know someone — a grandparent, parent, partner, friend, colleague or neighbour — whose life has been changed by this terrible disease.

For me, that person was my grandad.

Next year will mark 15 years since I lost him to cancer. Even after all these years, the memories remain, and that loss is a big part of why I continue to take on the London Marathon.

My uncle was also diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully, he fought it and won. Seeing both sides of that experience — losing someone I loved and watching someone else battle through and survive — has given me an even greater appreciation of how important cancer support is.

Cancer doesn’t just affect the person diagnosed. It affects entire families. The fear, uncertainty and emotional strain can be overwhelming. While the patient needs support, so too do the people standing beside them.

That is why I keep running.

This will be my 6th London Marathon, and over the years I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have raised more than £20,000 for charity. Every single pound has been made possible by the generosity of family, friends, colleagues and everyone who has supported me along the way.

I also have to mention my good friend and former running partner, David. We have trained together for all of my previous London Marathons, sharing countless early mornings, freezing winter runs, long miles and plenty of conversations along the way. Those training sessions brought us closer together as friends, and having someone beside you through the highs and lows of marathon training is something I’ll always be grateful for.

This time, David won’t be running alongside me, but the memories of all those miles and the support we’ve given each other over the years will certainly be with me when I take on the start line.

When the legs are tired and the miles seem endless, I’ll think about my grandad. I’ll think about my uncle. I’ll think about the families who are going through what my family went through, and those who are facing a cancer diagnosis today.

The pain of a marathon lasts for a day. The impact of the money we raise can last a lifetime.

So, as I take on my sixth London Marathon, I’m hoping to make this my biggest fundraising effort yet.

If you can spare anything at all — £5, £10, £20 or whatever you can afford — I would be incredibly grateful. Every donation will help support people and families affected by cancer and help ensure that nobody has to face this terrible disease alone.

Thank you for reading, thank you for supporting me, and thank you for helping me keep my grandad’s memory alive with every mile. ❤️

Sixth marathon. £20,000+ already raised. One more run. One more chance to make a difference

Every day around 1,100 people will hear the words ‘you have cancer’. Over 420 of these cases could have been prevented, that’s a staggering 155,000 people every year. World Cancer Research Fund, are passionate about reducing this number.

As part of an international network of charities, they’ve been funding life-saving research, influencing global health policy and informing the public since 1982.

While society continues to search for a cure, their prevention and survival work helps people to live longer, healthier, and happier lives – free from the devastating effects of cancer. The money I'm raising plays a huge part in keeping this going.