“Running with my best friend … filled me with love” - Sarah’s experience as a Cardiff Half Marathon runner

On the eve of the fifth year of my cancer journey, I sat and thought about how far I’ve come. 

In 2018, I’d been seeing my GP regularly for over six months with tummy pains, diarrhoea and weight loss. I was told it was nothing serious and to change my diet. One night, I was so ill that I had to go to A&E and on that day, 20 October 2018, my life fell apart in an instant.  

After lots of tests, my final procedure was a CT scan. The results led me to have emergency surgery to remove a bowel blockage and have a colostomy bag fitted. I then found out that they thought it was cancer. I remember looking at my husband, my soul mate, and saying that I couldn’t have cancer as my children were little and I was only 36. The next day, I had an operation and was later diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer.  

I had a full hysterectomy to prevent the cancer spreading. At the same time, I had a part stoma reversal. Eight months later, I was able to have a full stoma reversal, and I finally felt like me again.  

A few months after my treatment, I went through genetic testing and found out that I carried the Lynch syndrome gene, MLH1. This would have come from one of my parents and we found out after it was from my dad. This was very hard to deal with as my children could have this gene also, but are too young to be tested currently.  

Last year I hit an all-time low. I was suffering with anger and depression because living with cancer is so hard with young children. After Christmas and before my 41 birthday, I decided to try and help myself by taking up running. I went for a few runs with my friend Kate. We set ourselves the goal of competing in the Cardiff Half Marathon and decided to raise money for Bowel Cancer UK.  

Kate and I work in a hairdressing salon together and lots of our lovely customers sponsored us. My husband also does a yearly golf day in memory of his late father and donated £1,000 to our fundraiser, helping us to reach £2,810. It means so much to raise funds for Bowel Cancer UK as they'll continue to help me, my family and others in years to come.  

We trained for 10 months and both completed it on 1 October 2023. I did it in two hours 27 minutes and Kate, in two hours and 43 minutes. We cried together before, during and after the event. Running with my best friend, who’d seen me through the hardest of times, filled me with love.  

It felt like such a huge achievement, especially with our husbands and children cheering us on. It was an incredible moment because five years ago to that month, I was in agony. Living with cancer means you have a constant fear of any pain or change in your body. But five years on, I’m very grateful to be here with my gorgeous husband and two children. If you know anyone going through bowel cancer or it’s affected you, why don’t you set yourself a huge challenge and run the Cardiff Half Marathon for this worthy cause?

• If you have your own place at this year's Cardiff Half Marathon, you can join our team  

• Find out more about how you can fundraise for us 
• Support and information on living with and beyond bowel cancer