For David Powers (77), the Cancer Research UK London Winter Run means more than running 10km.

David’s wife, Toshiko, passed away from cancer nine years ago at the age of 61. Her diagnosis came tragically late, and she survived only three days after doctors discovered how far the cancer had spread. “It was devastating,” David recalls. “But experiences like this are why I want to help improve survival rates of cancer and maybe even find a cure.”

At the same time, David has seen the impact of research and treatment in a more positive light. His mother was successfully treated for oesophageal cancer and lived for more than ten years afterwards. “Several other people around me have also been successfully treated for cancer, but there’s still a long way to go,” he says.

The 2026 event will mark David’s seventh London Winter Run, including the virtual edition during lockdown and the year the event moved to summer for the London Summer Run. “I love running among the iconic buildings of the City of London, with the encouragement of the crowds and the live music along the way,” he says.

David took up running again in 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdown, after nearly forty years away from the sport. Since then, he has gone from 10ks to half marathons and beyond. He has now completed the SuperHalfs series of international half marathons and in October he ran his sixth full marathon (in under five hours) in Chicago. One day, he hopes to secure a place in the London Marathon.

For David, every step is powered by the generosity of those who support him. “I’m extremely grateful that I’m still fit and healthy enough to run at my age,” he says. “And I’m deeply touched by the financial support that friends and former colleagues give me to help raise funds for Cancer Research UK.”

As he lines up for another London Winter Run in 2026, David runs not only in memory of Toshiko but also in celebration of the advances that allowed his mother and others to live longer lives. His journey is a reminder of why the event matters: to keep moving forward as a community, united by a common purpose to beat cancer.

Join David and thousands of others at the 2026 Cancer Research UK London Winter Run and help to create a world where everybody lives longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.