Father to run London Marathon in memory of daughter

The dad and brother of a 22-year-old from Surrey who took her own life after buying poison online are set to run this year's London Marathon.

Hannah Aitken, from Guildford, died in 2023, and her family have since campaigned to protect other young people from the harms that caused her death.

Her father, Pete, and brother, Matt, are raising funds for the Molly Rose Foundation, a charity which works to make the online world safe for young people.

"Without Molly Rose Foundation, Hannah would have just been another statistic," Pete said. "They made it possible for us to raise awareness about the harms that led to Hannah's death."

He said his son Matt had been "a great support".

"He is also the one who encouraged me to run the London Marathon," he added.

CEO of Molly Rose Foundation Andy Burrows said: "It is an immense honour that Pete and Matt are using their strength and energy to campaign to protect young people in Hannah's memory."

Alice Bolton, 29, is running the marathon less than a year after undergoing leukaemia treatment, calling it her "redemption marathon".

She is among 56 runners fundraising for Leukaemia UK to support its work helping people affected by the cancer.

Bolton was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in 2024 whilst working abroad in Melbourne, and had to defer the 2024 marathon to undergo life-saving treatment.

"After having to withdraw from the Great Ocean Half in Melbourne when I was diagnosed, and the London Marathon last year because I relapsed, this one feels even more special," Alice said.

More than 3,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with AML yearly, and nearly 80% don't survive beyond five years, according to Leukaemia UK.

Now in remission, Alice will be running the London Marathon alongside her sisters as they all plan to cross the finish line together.

Hanna Chorley, community and challenge events manager at Leukaemia UK, said: "With the help of incredible supporters like Alice, together we can continue to fund groundbreaking research into kinder, more effective treatments for leukaemia."

Kelly Rowland, a Surrey-based PE teacher, is running the London Marathon after being diagnosed 10 years ago with Chiari Malformation, a rare condition that would have left her paralysed and unable to exercise again.

The 47-year-old participated in the Mini Marathon in the 90s, and is now inspiring her students to do the same.

"To do the London Marathon has always been on my bucket list since that very first mini marathon all those times ago," Rowland said.

"The fact that I can hopefully tick this off is going to be amazing."

After years of severe headaches, an MRI revealed that at birth, Rowland's brain had slipped through the bottom of her skull and was crushing her spine.

Following a risky decompression surgery, Rowland learned how to walk again and needed 24/7 supervision.

"I couldn't do anything for myself for about five weeks, and I didn't think that everything was ever going to be okay again," she said.

After two years of inactivity, Kelly started running again during the Covid-19 pandemic, and will now be fundraising for the Brain and Spine Foundation, as well as a residential care home that cares for her sister.

Last year, she supported a student with a heart condition to complete the Mini Marathon, saying it was an "amazing experience" for him to cross the finish line.

"I want to show them that you can fulfil your dreams, no matter what obstacles you face," she said.

"It's not about me, it's about them. My goals and my aims are really for the kids at school now."

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.