“I’ve seen the effects of cancer, both personally and through my work” – Senior Trial Manager Josh runs the London Marathon to raise funds for CRUK
During his day job, Josh Caddy leads a team running clinical trials to find better treatments for cancer patients.
And for the last four months, his spare time has been spent pounding the streets in his trainers as he prepares for one of the most famous running events in the world – the London Marathon – all to raise money for Cancer Research UK.
“It’s always been a bit of a dream of mine to run the marathon,” says Josh. “Then there was a bit of peer pressure to do it from my mum after my cousin ran it last year. So, I applied and on my first try, I got in!”
Josh works as a Senior Trial Manager and Portfolio Lead for the haematology team at Southampton Clinical Trials Unit. His role is to oversee the design and conduct of clinical trials of new treatments for blood cancer, particularly lymphoma.
But like so many people, Josh has a personal reason for raising funds for Cancer Research UK.
“Working at the SCTU, I see how research makes a real difference to patients and how the money raised through the charity is used. But I’ve also seen three of my grandparents go through cancer, two of them unfortunately losing their lives to the disease.
“My wife’s nan, who was very much a surrogate grandmother to me, also died a few years ago. And my sister’s husband lost both his parents to cancer. So, I was really driven to do something to raise money and help further cancer research.”
After setting himself a fundraising target of £200, Josh says the support from family and friends has been incredible and he’s now raised over £1000 ahead of the event.
“Most people have said how impressed they are that I’m running the marathon and that they wouldn’t do it themselves! So, the support has been great and has really motivated me when training has got tough.”
And despite the odd minor niggle, Josh has found getting out and running more has had surprising benefits.
“I’m actually enjoying the training. I can’t listen to music when I run, so it’s been quite therapeutic to just be me and my thoughts, and after a few miles I find I just zone out and run.
“I did run quite a lot when I was younger and was part of the county cross-country team, but I gave up when I went to university and there was no athletics club I could join. I started running again when I moved to Southampton over a decade ago, and though it’s sometimes difficult to fit in around work and family life, I’ve been enjoying getting back into it.”
Josh will be supported by his wife Jen and their two children when he heads up to London later this month, as well as his parents, his sister and her family, his uncle, and some of his wife’s family who are all going to be there cheering him on.
“I’m really looking forward to the atmosphere on the day and the experience of seeing thousands of people lining the streets to watch the marathon. It will be very different to training runs and will hopefully spur me on. And if I can raise as much money as possible for Cancer Research UK and the work we do at the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, then that will mean a great deal to me and my family.”
Donate to Josh’s London Marathon fundraiser for CRUK