James Besanvalle

Kaitlyn Hurlstone was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia at 16 after developing unusual symptoms including overgrown gums, fatigue and vomiting. She underwent chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant and brain surgery, later becoming blind and unresponsive after the cancer spread to her spinal fluid before unexpectedly recovering. Doctors have told her family that the NHS cannot provide further treatment, prompting her mother, Angharad Hurlstone, to raise £150,000 for private alternatives, including a potential breakthrough drug or another stem cell transplant.

Kaitlyn Hurlstone developed unusual gum enlargement and other symptoms after tonsillitis, leading to an acute myeloid leukaemia diagnosis in June 2024 at age 16. She underwent intensive chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant and brain surgery for severe swelling. After her leukaemia later infiltrated her brain and left her blind and unresponsive, she partially recovered following radiotherapy. Her doctors reportedly consider her ineligible for an NHS clinical trial because of the central nervous system relapse, so her family is seeking £150,000 for private treatment or a stem cell transplant and hopes to access a breakthrough drug targeting her NPM1 mutation.

Ben Wagenmann, a 27-year-old German student, was diagnosed with an ultra-rare cervical paraganglioma after discovering a throat lump. The cancer had spread to his spine, and although surgery and radionuclide therapy have prevented further spread, existing tumors have not shrunk and doctors consider the disease incurable. His treatment is focused on prolonging his life, yet he continues physically demanding activities such as the Bern Grand Prix to demonstrate that illness does not prevent him from remaining active.

Ben Wagenmann, a 27-year-old German student living in Switzerland, was diagnosed at 25 with metastatic cervical paraganglioma, an ultra-rare tumour affecting fewer than one in 100,000 people. After surgery and six cycles of lutetium radionuclide therapy, the cancer stopped spreading but did not shrink and has since been treated as incurable. The disease has spread to his bones, causing persistent pain and requiring regular scans, physiotherapy and medication. Despite an uncertain prognosis, Wagenmann continues cycling, skiing and running, determined to maintain his daily life and raise awareness through the World Cancer Research Fund’s campaign.

British teacher Maddison Carter developed severe pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome in Phuket, Thailand, requiring an emergency caesarean at 33 weeks after her blood pressure reached 220. She spent 12 days in intensive care while her premature daughter Coco was treated for life-threatening sepsis. Both mother and child recovered, but doctors advised that future pregnancies would be high risk. Carter is now raising awareness of pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome through a 2027 London Marathon fundraiser for Action on Pre-eclampsia.

A Sheffield couple recount the sudden death of their 16‑month‑old son Leo, who went to sleep with mild cold symptoms and was found unresponsive the next morning. A post‑mortem later identified Streptococcus A in his blood, despite the absence of severe symptoms. The family sought support through SUDC UK and subsequently raised £10,000 for the charity by completing a 50km Ultra Challenge Walk in the Peak District to increase awareness and funding related to sudden unexplained child deaths.

A Welsh dairy farmer, Owain Evans, left his family farm to join The Revel Puck Circus after being encouraged by a friend. His skills in welding and repairs helped him transition into the circus’s ring crew, where he works on maintenance, props, and occasional performances. Evans describes enjoying travel, the intense but rewarding work, and similarities between circus life and farming. He plans to return home after the tour and continue alternating between farm work in winter and circus work in summer, encouraging other young people from small towns to explore new experiences.

Bill Lankford, a previously healthy 61-year-old retired scientist from Cambridge, developed severe headaches, neurological problems and brain inflammation after completing a swim-run event in the Aland archipelago. Initially suspected of having Lyme disease, he was later diagnosed through cerebrospinal fluid testing with rare tick-borne encephalitis. After a week in hospital and a prolonged recovery involving fatigue, balance problems, tremors and memory issues, Lankford has gradually rebuilt his fitness and completed a shorter swim-run event. Health authorities say there is no specific treatment, although vaccination can help prevent the infection.

Rafi Amer developed life-threatening Shiga toxin-producing E. coli haemolytic uraemic syndrome after initially being diagnosed with constipation and a stomach bug. The illness caused stage four kidney failure, seizures, brain injury and three cardiac arrests, leading doctors to advise his family to say goodbye. After life support and two weeks in a coma, Rafi spent about six months in a vegetative state before gradually regaining awareness. Nearly three years later, he can talk, eat and sit up and has recently learned to stand independently, while his family stayed at a Ronald McDonald House for 186 nights during his nine-month hospital stay.

Seven-year-old Rafi Amer developed Shiga toxin-producing E. coli-associated haemolytic uraemic syndrome after initially being diagnosed with constipation and a stomach bug. His condition progressed to stage-four kidney failure, seizures, brain injury and three cardiac arrests, requiring dialysis, life support and an ECMO machine. After spending two weeks in a coma, nine months in a high-dependency unit and three months in brain rehabilitation, Rafi gradually regained consciousness and basic functions. Nearly three years later, he can talk, eat and sit up, and has recently learned to stand independently. His father Dean credits Rafi's resilience and remains committed to continuing his rehabilitation.

Lucy Driver, who had previously recovered from breast cancer, initially attributed recurring indigestion and later worsening symptoms to minor digestive problems before being diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer in 2022. Despite chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy and a temporary remission, the cancer returned and spread to her liver. Driver stopped treatment in September 2025, entered palliative care and died aged 57 on 3 January 2026. Her husband, Jason Venkatasamy, is undertaking an 800-kilometre Camino de Santiago walk to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer Action and encourage people to seek medical advice promptly for symptoms such as indigestion or jaundice.

Mark Oliver, a 67-year-old retired electrical engineer from West Oxfordshire, experienced severe urinary frequency, leakage and social anxiety because of an enlarged prostate. After years of investigations and a long wait for traditional TURP surgery, he underwent robot-guided aquablation therapy at an NHS-funded Nuffield Health hospital. Recovery was initially painful and improvement took several weeks, but within a year his toilet visits fell from as many as 18 per day to two or three. He retains some caution around fluids and wears pads for reassurance, but says the procedure restored his confidence and social life. He encourages men to discuss urinary symptoms and seek medical advice.

Al Hussain, a Saudi lesbian woman, fled her family after being told at 16 that she was reserved for marriage to an older male cousin. Facing severe restrictions on women and the criminalisation of same-sex relationships in Saudi Arabia, she secretly obtained a passport, saved money through remote work and travelled to the UK in 2022, where she immediately sought asylum. After living in asylum-seeker accommodation and meeting her girlfriend Eris through Tinder, she received asylum approval by the end of 2023. She now DJs at LGBTQ+ venues and hopes her experience offers hope to other queer Saudi women.

Mags Burns, a 65-year-old from Sunderland, spends about £100 a month feeding her two golden retrievers, Luca and Ryder, meals such as eggs, porridge, fish, chicken, fruit and vegetables. She adopted the human-grade diet after her stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis led her to pursue a healthier lifestyle for herself and her pets. Burns credits the diet and regular exercise with keeping the dogs healthy, while acknowledging that the approach may not be affordable or practical for everyone.

Joshua Breene, 23, suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during the Birmingham Half Marathon in May 2025, less than a kilometre from the finish. Fellow runner and physiotherapist Lloyd Heckler performed CPR until paramedics arrived. Breene was diagnosed with atrial flutter, underwent surgery and spent six days in hospital. After recovering and receiving medical clearance, he completed the Bath Half Marathon in March 2026 and raised money for the British Heart Foundation.

Faye Thompson and her husband Martin Johnson form an unusual town-crier partnership in Petersfield, with Thompson serving as lead crier and Johnson as deputy. Thompson entered the profession after entertaining residents with toy orangutans during the Covid-19 pandemic and winning a town-crier competition in 2023. Since then, she has officiated community events, while the couple have modernized the role by sharing duties, promoting Petersfield and bringing residents together.

Cambridgeshire woman Amie Smith was diagnosed with cauda equina syndrome after Flok Health’s AI physiotherapy assessment flagged serious symptoms that had initially been attributed to fibromyalgia. A follow-up call from physiotherapist Kirsty Henderson led to urgent MRI advice, emergency admission and decompression surgery, likely preventing paralysis. Smith continues to experience limited use of her left leg, while Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust says the AI-assisted service has substantially reduced physiotherapy waiting lists and can direct patients with rare or dangerous conditions to human-led care.

Richard Martin, a 69-year-old retired financial services professional from Hythe, has completed 13 Macmillan Mighty Hikes across the UK and raised £21,174.72 for cancer support. He began volunteering and fundraising after losing his father, Alan, to lung cancer in 1998 and his sister, Teresa Godwin, to recurring breast cancer in 2008. Martin dedicates each hike to their memory, provides support as a Macmillan volunteer and buddy, and hopes to complete 20 hikes while inspiring others to raise money for people living with cancer.

After collapsing during the 2023 London Marathon, 75-year-old Pritpal Kaur endured months of back pain, fatigue and inconclusive medical assessments before being diagnosed with myeloma, a blood and bone-marrow cancer. Her daughter Minreet’s complaint to the Patient Advice and Liaison Service helped prompt further investigations. Pritpal underwent chemotherapy and bone-strengthening treatment, reached remission in March 2024 and continues to receive monthly infusions. She and Minreet are now training to complete the London Marathon together using a run-walk technique, while raising money for Blood Cancer UK and promoting participation through Minreet’s Asian Women Run group.

Three-year-old Frank, from Essex, was diagnosed with a rare cancerous ependymoma after several GP visits reportedly attributed his worsening symptoms to infections. Following a seizure, doctors discovered a large brain tumour and dangerous fluid build-up, prompting emergency surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Frank later underwent an 11-hour tumour-removal operation and six weeks of proton beam therapy at University College London Hospital. He was in remission by the end of 2024, although treatment affected his development and he requires regular scans for the next decade. His family is supporting a GOSH Charity campaign to help build a new children’s cancer centre.

Twelve-year-old Ollie McAlley was diagnosed with high-risk Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia after his parents sought medical attention for persistent back pain, fatigue and pallor. Blood tests at Warrington Hospital led to an urgent transfer to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, where chemotherapy and further testing confirmed the diagnosis. Ollie is undergoing a 25-month treatment plan, with his cancer currently undetectable, although a stem-cell transplant may eventually be required. His father, Stephen, is using the experience to encourage people to join the Anthony Nolan stem-cell registry and is running the London Marathon to raise awareness.

A Lincolnshire mother, Leah Till, says a new Peppa Pig storyline about George being diagnosed with moderate hearing loss closely mirrors her four-year-old son Ralph’s experience. Ralph’s diagnosis was delayed until age three, after which hearing aids significantly improved his communication, speech and behaviour. Till praised the episode’s realistic depiction of hearing tests, ear moulds, hearing aids and children’s reactions to new sounds, saying the representation could reassure families and reduce the isolation associated with a deafness diagnosis. Ralph is supported by his family, school, health professionals and the National Deaf Children’s Society, which collaborated with the programme’s producers.

Anj Periyasamy, a London physiotherapist and mother of two, was diagnosed with triple-positive breast cancer at 37 after initially attributing fatigue to motherhood. She underwent extensive chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy and targeted treatment, followed by hormone-suppressing medication that caused a medically induced menopause. Anj says the menopause symptoms—including hot flushes, mood swings, low libido, hair thinning, tendon pain and fears of osteoporosis—were harder to endure than chemotherapy, and she cannot use HRT because her cancer is hormone-sensitive. With support from Breast Cancer Now and Trekstock Cancer Support, she has spoken to her daughters about her illness and is sharing her experience to raise awareness among young South Asian women and encourage people to take possible breast cancer symptoms seriously.

Frankie, a 10-year-old boy from Hertfordshire, was diagnosed at five with H-ABC, an extremely rare form of leukodystrophy affecting fewer than 200 documented patients worldwide. His mother, Amy Sheridan-Hill, says doctors initially told the family that little could be done and that Frankie might not survive beyond his teens. He receives regular physical and occupational therapy, Botox, mobility equipment and other support, while the H-ABC Foundation UK raises awareness, funds research and assists families. A candidate drug being developed by SynaptixBio may enter clinical trials within the next year or two and could potentially halt further loss of skills, although it would not be a cure. The family hopes Frankie will qualify and is working to maintain his strength while advocating for greater awareness, research and support.

Cardiac specialist Angeliki Asimaki describes living with congenital heart defects that caused intermittent complete AV block, repeated fainting, a pacemaker dependence and a haemorrhagic stroke at 26. After nine cardiac interventions, including open-heart surgery to repair a previously undetected hole in her heart, she devoted her career to sudden cardiac death research. At City St George’s, University of London, she developed an at-home cheek swab to diagnose and monitor arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, offering a less invasive alternative to heart biopsies. Now a mother of two, she shares her experience to give patients hope while raising money for the British Heart Foundation.

Hayley McAuley, a 38-year-old warehouse team leader from Wigan, won the inaugural Flatpack World Championship in May 2025 by assembling a two-drawer bedside table in nine minutes and 33 seconds. She is preparing to defend her title in London and recommends sorting and counting parts, carefully following instructions and avoiding irreversible steps until they are certain.

Hayley McAuley, a warehouse team leader from Wigan and owner of a flatpack assembly business, won the inaugural Flatpack World Championships after assembling a two-drawer bedside table in nine minutes and 33 seconds. She is preparing to defend her title at Grand Designs Live London, relying on her everyday assembly work and planning practical preparation such as arriving early and getting a hand and arm massage. McAuley charges roughly £30 to assemble a two-door wardrobe and up to £200 for a metal shed. She encourages children, particularly girls, to develop practical building skills and advises beginners to separate and count all components, read the instructions carefully and avoid making permanent alterations too soon.

Tamara Mulley, initially referred for suspected endometriosis after years of bloating and later hip pain, was diagnosed in December 2023 with incurable stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma that had spread to multiple parts of her body. Chemotherapy and immunotherapy helped temporarily, and she is now receiving the First-308 targeted-therapy trial, which has reportedly reduced some tumours. After outliving an initial two-year prognosis, Mulley is using her experience to highlight the disease’s vague symptoms, delayed diagnoses, underfunding and limited treatment access, while advocating for earlier detection and better care.

Tammy Jackson, a 51-year-old mother of six from Swindon, developed flashes, blurred vision and a growing blind spot in her right eye. A last-minute appointment at Boots Opticians led to the detection of a suspicious abnormality and an urgent referral to Great Western Hospital and Moorfields Eye Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a small choroidal melanoma. She underwent ophthalmic plaque brachytherapy, and her prognosis is currently good because the cancer was detected early, although her vision has not fully returned to normal. Jackson is urging people not to delay routine eye tests and to seek medical attention for symptoms such as flashes, dark patches, blurred vision or vision loss.

The daughters of Manchester man Andrzej Bielecki are urging people to learn the warning signs of pancreatic cancer after he died six weeks after receiving an advanced diagnosis. Years of indigestion and acid reflux were followed by stomach pain, weight loss and jaundice, but initial consultations, medication, blood tests and an endoscopy attributed his symptoms to indigestion and a hiatus hernia. A scan eventually found a blocked bile duct, and an MRI confirmed that the cancer had spread beyond treatment or surgery options. Bielecki spent his final weeks with family before dying in February 2023. His family later completed a 100km walk on the Camino de Santiago in his memory and is calling for greater awareness of a disease that Pancreatic Cancer UK describes as the deadliest common cancer.

Kelly Underwood, from Birmingham, says her concerns about a neck lump and other symptoms were dismissed during repeated GP visits, including when doctors reportedly laughed at the suggestion of cancer. She was diagnosed with classic Hodgkin lymphoma in September 2025 and urgently admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham because of concerns that a swollen lymph node could obstruct her airway. She underwent six cycles of intensive BEACOPDac chemotherapy, supported by filgrastim injections and the Teenage Cancer Trust. After completing treatment on 14 January, she is awaiting a PET scan and hopes to receive the all-clear, while planning her wedding to partner Olivia Read. Her experience has prompted her to encourage people to monitor symptoms and advocate for themselves when medical referrals are delayed.