On Sunday, over 24,000 runners laced up their trainers and returned to Manchester to complete the 2022 Manchester Marathon, a whopping 26.2-mile challenge.

This year, Michael McGrath and Nicola McFazden ran as part of Team CL to help towards raising important funds and awareness for national blood cancer charity Cure Leukeamia, which supports research nurses within a network of 12 blood cancer centres across the United Kingdom, which form the Trials Acceleration Programme (TAP).

The TAP network allows the rapid assessment of highly promising and pioneering new treatments for blood cancer through clinical trials. These clinical trials can only run and give patients potentially life-saving options thanks to the positions Cure Leukaemia are funding at these centres.

We spoke to Michael and Nicola ahead of the big day, who both took on the Manchester Marathon to raise vital funds for Cure Leukemia and shared with us their ‘why’.

Michael is well trained in the art of marathon running having run an incredible 10 London Marathons over the years.

He was inspired to join #TeamCL after his neighbours son was diagnosed with leukaemia in his early thirties and is currently being treated in York and Leeds.
The Manchester Marathon marked his return to the scene of his quickest marathon time.

“Manchester is going to be my last and marks the anniversary of me running my only sub 3-hour marathon back in 2002.”

“Training went OK. I ran alongside my neice as it was her first marathon so I was supporting her as she has had type 1 diabetes from an early age.”

“I had not intended to run for a charity when I entered for Manchester but when I heard about Adam it was a no brainer, so I chose Cure Leukaemia. I’m so fortunate to be fit and healthy at my age.”

Nicola was six years old when her sister Bridget sadly passed away from leukaemia aged just nine years old.

“I’m now 62 and about to embark on my first ever marathon with a heavy cold that I’ve been trying to shrug off since Wednesday!”

“Sadly I have very few memories of my sister as she was very poorly and in and out of hospital while I spent some time in Germany with relatives. I can’t remember what type of leukaemia it was, but nowadays it’s one that would now be survivable thanks to medical progress.”

A huge congratulations to Michael and Nicola, and everyone else who ran for Team CL, your efforts will help to continue to fun the lifesaving work.

There’s still time to donate to Michael or Nicola, or if you’d like to join Team CL and help run for a cure, contact jennie@cureleukaemia.co.uk