Mother to take on London Marathon to thank donor who saved her son’s life

A mother is running the London Marathon in tribute to the anonymous bone marrow donor who saved her son’s life.

Holly Cross aims to raise £10,000 for the Anthony Nolan charity which found the match for nine-year-old Rupert, who was at risk of leukaemia.

Doctors told him a transplant to replace his damaged cells was the best chance of curing his rare bone marrow chromosome disorder, called myelodysplasia with monosomy 7.

But no one in his family was a match, so Ms Cross, 47, turned to Nolan, which found a donor through its register.

He had the transplant 18 months ago, following chemotherapy, and is now back at school.

Ms Cross, a project manager from Hemel Hempstead, said: “The last time I did any running was over 10 years ago.

"But when I hit a hard hill I just think ‘If Rupert can get through chemo, then I can get up this hill’. He is back at school, doing amazingly well and on little medication. All this is mainly due to one, incredible, anonymous bone marrow donor who gave my son his life back.”

At this Sunday’s event, Rupert will be reunited with Arthur Randall, from Tunbridge Wells, who is nearly three and became his friend in hospital.

After his transplant, Rupert spent almost three months on an isolation ward at Great Ormond Street hospital to reduce his infection risk. He and Arthur would wave to each other through the glass partition separating their rooms but have never met in person. Arthur, who has a faulty immune system, also had a bone marrow transplant and has responded well.

While Rupert was at GOSH he also met astronaut Tim Peake, who paid a visit to patients at the hospital.

There were no signs that Rupert was unwell before his diagnosis. Doctors only picked up his condition when he went for a blood test for an unrelated issue.

He also suffered complications after his transplant, including a severe immune reaction which attacked his skin and liver.

Holly, who has been training four times a week and joined a running group, said: “We consider ourselves very lucky because Rupert was diagnosed early. Had we waited it is likely it would have turned into leukaemia.

“My philosophy after his illness has completely changed. We take every opportunity and just do things.”

• #Run4Rupert. To sponsor Holly for her run visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/