Runners take on TCS London Marathon with aim to raise £20,000 for NHS Charities Together

Fundraising and events

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24 April 2025

By NHS Charities Together

George wearing a blue and yellow NHS Charities Together running vest and pointing to the Paris Marathon medal around his neck, he is standing in front of the Arc de Triomphe

A group of runners will take on the TCS London Marathon this Sunday to raise money for NHS Charities Together.

Among them is Melisa Senoz – a novice runner from Cambridge – who is running in memory of her father, Omer Senoz, who sadly died 10 years ago aged 60.

The 36-year-old, who has never run a marathon before, has chosen to raise funds for NHS Charities Together as a thank you to the NHS and the amazing staff at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge who cared for her father when he became unwell after lung surgery.

She said:

“The care my dad received in hospital was second to none. When we had to make the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life support machine, the staff were so kind and sensitive, asking us when we wanted this to happen. We decided on the following morning to allow some of Dad’s friends and family to come and say their goodbyes.”

Melisa has only been running for less than a year, sharing that she would struggle to run for even a minute without getting out of breath or red in the face when she first started.

She commented:

“I’m really hoping that the memory of my wonderful dad - who would have been 70 this year - the knowledge that I’m raising money to support the NHS, and seeing my amazing family in the crowds will be more than enough to get me across the finish line.”

Joining Melisa is George Nix, from Dorset, who will have run nearly 400km (236) miles in under two weeks by the time he crosses the finishing line at the TCS London Marathon.

Starting with the Paris Marathon, the 28-year-old is running from the French capital to London to raise money for NHS Charities Together while also raising awareness of mental health, having struggled with his own.

He said:

“I first started experiencing issues with my mental health towards the end of 2022. I felt quite isolated and lost any sense of purpose, which had a massive impact on my relationships with friends and family.”

George turned to running as an outlet. He continues:

“When I’m running, I enter a flow state that helps clear my mind. It’s given me back my sense of purpose and helped to improve my self-esteem, which I struggled with for so long.

“I chose to raise money for NHS Charities Together to support their commitment to make healthcare better for everyone. Mental health is something that affects everyone and it’s really important that people can easily access support when they need it.”

Louise McCathie, Director of Fundraising at NHS Charities Together, commented:

“I want to say a huge thank you to all our amazing participants running the TCS London Marathon for us this year. Right now, the NHS needs our support more than ever, and thanks to the incredible efforts of people like Melisa and George, we can work towards a future with a thriving NHS and the best possible healthcare for everyone.”