Young Exmouth cancer survivor completes TCS London Marathon for charity
A young cancer survivor from Devon completed the TCS London Marathon and raised more than £2,000 for the charity that supported her after she was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2022.
Freya Sampson, 24, from Exmouth took on the iconic marathon to raise money for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust. She first joined the charity’s transformational sailing adventures in 2024, returned for a second trip last summer, and is looking ahead to her third in 2026.
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust takes young people aged 8-24 on sailing and outdoor adventures to inspire them to believe in a brighter future living through and beyond cancer.
Reflecting on the big day, Freya said: “It was so much better than I imagined. It’s so true when people say the crowds carry you. Having my name on my top was definitely the best thing, the crowds just cheer you on the whole way round.
“The funniest thing was my parents and partner came to support me, but they missed me at a few stops due to the tube stations being so busy. At mile 20, my partner ran to meet me. He told a group of people around him to look out for me and call my name when they saw me to get my attention. The problem was, I was so in the zone, and because everyone around you is cheering your name, it just went over my head and I nearly ran past them! Luckily, I was on the same side as them and my partner managed to grab me, otherwise we would've missed each other again.
“From around mile 16, I really started to struggle with my knee and I felt really sick. I physically couldn't eat anything from this point. I bumped into supporters from the charity and this was just what I needed. Just receiving the support from someone that I knew.”
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust has sought-after charity places for the iconic London Marathon 2027. Details on how to apply and fundraise like Freya can be found on the charity’s website ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org.
Whether diagnosed as a child, teenager, or young adult, cancer has a big impact on mental wellbeing beyond treatment. Friendships and relationships suffer, education is impacted, and young people can live with body image issues and late effects that last way beyond their cancer.
Through the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust’s sailing and outdoor adventures, young people gain a new sense of purpose and self-worth, rediscover their independence, and feel optimistic about what comes next in life. They realise what they are capable of, stop feeling like ‘the only one’, and their mental wellbeing improves.
Talking about what completing the marathon means to her, Freya said: “It feels incredibly meaningful and personal to me, especially because I’ve experienced the impact that the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust has. Knowing that I’m helping other young people who are going through similar challenges is really rewarding. It’s also been inspiring to hear about how the money we’ve raised will make a real, positive difference to the Trust and the people it supports.
“So many times on the lead up to the day I had doubts that I hadn't trained enough. I'd only managed to train up to a half marathon due to my knee, so I wasn't able to practice eating much on my runs. But I am so glad I didn't pull out. I took 5 hours 32 minutes and it honestly didn't feel that long at all. The time just flies by. By the end of the day I couldn't believe it was already over!”
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is there for anyone who needs somewhere to turn, no matter how long off treatment they are. Visit ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org or follow @emctrust on social media.
Freya's fundraising page can be found here: https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/freya-sampson
