When Paul Ingle-Wood’s wife Jessica was diagnosed with stage 2 triple negative breast cancer in April 2023, life changed overnight.

What followed was 18 months of intensive treatment. It involved many trips to hospital to receive chemotherapy and other treatments, and some hospital stays to treat complications, as well as a household reorganised around medication schedules, clinic appointments and caregiving.

Paul’s story is not only one of supporting his wife through treatment but of finding a way to cope and make a tangible difference. “We came out the other end in a good place, with a positive outcome, which is not the case for everyone,” he says. That outcome, he is clear, was made possible in part by advances in research, particularly immunotherapy, and is the reason he fundraises for Cancer Research UK.

Paul’s introduction to running began as a carer’s lifeline. The pressure of administering complicated medication, the helplessness of waves of side effects and the constant emotional load pushed him to seek a short, physical escape. Running provided that release. For 30 to 60 minutes his only focus was breath, pace and getting back home able to keep caring effectively. “My body hated me at first,” he admits, “but my mind felt clearer afterwards.”

That practical need to reset evolved into a consistent commitment and then into a platform for fundraising. Paul’s running has taken him from short runs during chemotherapy seasons to organised events. The 2024 London Winter Run was his first major running event, and he has since expanded to half marathons and marathons. To date he has raised £6,589 for Cancer Research UK and plans to add to that total with the 2026 London Winter Run.

For Paul, the London Winter Run has become a fixture. “It was my first major running event since starting running and is now on my calendar every year,” he says. He values the scale and spirit of the event: running through the city with live music, crowds and the knowledge that thousands of people are contributing to vital research. The start line build up, hearing how much has been raised, is emotional and motivating. Crossing the finish line, he says, “feels amazing, especially after the hard work of fundraising beforehand.”

Paul is careful to balance gratitude with reality. He recognises the progress that has helped his family, and the gaps that remain. “If I can keep doing my bit, raising money for Cancer Research UK with my running then maybe that will help towards someone else’s story finishing with the same happy ending as ours,” he says. The immunotherapy that formed part of Jessica’s treatment is one example of research being translated into life changing care. Fundraising helps ensure the next discoveries are possible.

When training gets hard, Paul thinks of Jessica. “My motivation when my running felt hard was the thought of what Jessie was going through, so much worse than some self-inflicted hard work I was putting myself through.” That perspective carries him through tough miles and long fundraising asks alike.

Paul’s journey, from carer stretched to breaking point to runner, fundraiser and advocate, shows how personal experience can fuel public impact. By turning his running into a way to help fund research and awareness, he has channelled a difficult chapter into something constructive for other families facing cancer.

Join Paul at the 2026 Cancer Research UK London Winter Run. Every kilometre and every pound raised helps fund life-changing research.