Oxfordshire Mum Battling Stage Four Cancer to Run Marathon

Sarah Demirtges, an Oxfordshire runner and mother, has raised £14,000 for Maggie’s while living with adrenal cancer. She was diagnosed in 2020 during the pandemic. Despite a diagnosis that has progressed, she plans to run the London Marathon in 2026.

Fundraising and support

Mrs Demirtges has raised £14,000 for the national cancer support charity Maggie’s. She says it took her two years to visit a centre. When she did, she found practical help and emotional support.

Maggie’s provided advice, workshops and peer connections. Staff also helped her find ways to talk honestly with her children.

Health and treatment

She was diagnosed with adrenal cancer in 2020. In December she was told her tumours were growing again. Her disease has now spread to the lungs.

She had been on mitotane for five years, but was taken off the drug in December. She completed five rounds of chemotherapy last year, but the treatment did not work. Doctors hope to offer her immunotherapy alongside temozolomide.

Training and marathon goal

As an Oxfordshire mum battling stage four cancer, she is determined to run the marathon. She applied for the London Marathon 2026 and calls the aim a “wild goal.”

She had not run regularly for years. More than two decades ago she completed a Tough Mudder and a few 10K races. She restarted with 5K runs and reached 11 miles by November.

In December she tore a calf muscle and paused training. She is now recovering and building mileage again. Her husband Rob and sons James, 17, and Ed, 15, support her efforts.

Motivation and outlook

She focuses on living fully despite treatment. She enjoys dinners with friends and watching her sons play sport. Walking the family dogs also keeps her active.

On hard days, running feels like a gift rather than a chore. She wants others to know a cancer diagnosis does not have to stop them setting bold goals. She says she is doing this for her family and for Maggie’s.

Filmogaz.com