For Sammie, taking part in the Cancer Research UK London Winter Run 2026 is more than just a sporting challenge. It marks ten years since she was diagnosed with cancer while pregnant with her son, and ten years of being cancer free.

Sammie’s story began not long after she married her soulmate in June 2015. After experiencing a miscarriage, she became pregnant again a few months later. Pregnancy brought with it both joy and anxiety, and at 28 weeks Sammie noticed some unusual spotting. Concerned because of her previous loss, she mentioned it at a routine doctor’s appointment and was referred to a gynaecology unit.

At first, her presence surprised staff who were not expecting to see a pregnant woman at the clinic. However, the consultant she met that day became a vital figure in her journey and someone she remains in touch with to this day. Just a few weeks later, in February 2016, Sammie’s life changed when she was told she had early stage cervical cancer. She was 31 weeks pregnant at the time.

On 8 March 2016, Sammie underwent surgery while also giving birth to her son. She credits her pregnancy and the heightened awareness of her body with saving her life. “If I had not been pregnant and so aware of my own body, the outcome could have been very different for both of us” she reflects.

That date will always be unforgettable for Sammie, and in 2026 it carries double significance. It is both her son’s 10th birthday and the 10th anniversary of being cancer free. To mark the occasion, Sammie has chosen to take on the London Winter Run, raising funds for Cancer Research UK and celebrating the progress that research makes possible.

Family support has been central to her journey. Her brother Leon, who completed the event last year, will once again run alongside her. “Running over the finish line with my brother by my side, would mean the world” she says. Her son will be there to cheer her on with his grandparents and auntie, and Sammie hopes to share the final moment of triumph with him at the finish line.

Although new to running, Sammie has embraced the challenge. She began her training in March 2025 and, despite suffering a setback with an ankle injury that stopped her from completing a 5k race in September, she remains determined. “I have got this.”

For Sammie, the London Winter Run is about celebrating survival, honouring the role her son has played in her journey, and giving back to the research that she hopes will continue to provide hope for so many families facing cancer.