“I’d love the support of the LEH community to reach my fundraising goal of £2,500,” says Alice, who worked as an assistant rowing coach at LEH while she studied for her BSc in Biochemistry and MSc Immunology at Imperial College London. “A huge motivator for my marathon this year will be my dear friend Alida from LEH days. Sadly, she lost her wonderful dad, Jeff, to Leukaemia in 2019.

“I was lucky enough to have Jeff cook the best pancakes for me and Alida the morning after probably every party I went to in the Sixth Form, and he always welcomed me with such warmth, kindness and laughter into his home. Alida and her family's experience has since been such a driving force behind my studies, and I hope that my efforts fundraising for the marathon this year will have a positive impact on others in the same position.”

Alice carried out a research project as part of her studies that investigated the impact of T-cell immunotherapy on the production of the new blood stem cells in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. She says: "Although studying the disease and potential therapies has been eye-opening, the real human impact of such challenging conditions and treatment regimes on patients and those close to them can sometimes feel rather distant from the lab bench.”

Leukaemia Care is the UK’s leading Leukaemia charity. They provide a diverse range of services including health information, private counselling grants, nurse helplines, campaigns for fair access to treatment, and so much more. To sponsor Alice, please click here: https://givepenny.com/alicejefferies_leukaemia_care_london_marathon_2022