Every year, more than 103,000 children and young people experience the wonderful warmth of Evelina London and the trailblazing, compassionate care of the devoted team.

In September 2021, Cherrelle experienced this incredible care first-hand after her youngest son, August-James, was transferred to Evelina London Children’s Hospital for specialist treatment.

"We realised after Aj came out of hospital that he could have died and that the staff had really looked after us," says Cherrelle.
Diagnosed with a rare immune disorder called HLH, Aj spent 22 days at the hospital, including 10 worrying days in intensive care.

"Those 10 days were the hardest of our lives," Cherrelle reflects, "but through it all the doctors and nurses did their best to keep us reassured and updated and gave us a room on site so we could always be close by."

The life-saving care that Aj received inspired Cherrelle to take on the 2022 TCS London Marathon for Evelina London Children’s Charity, as a way of saying thank you to the multiple teams who were involved in his care.

"I wanted to raise as much money as possible for Evelina London to show my appreciation for everything they did for Aj and our family, and to ensure they can continue to help other families like ours in the future."

Thanks to the amazing efforts of people like Cherrelle, the experts at Evelina London can continue to explore new ways to care for children, young people and their families.

When you run for #TeamEvelina, you help to transform lives. One hundred per cent of the donations we receive go towards Evelina London’s life-changing work, funding things like:

• innovative technology that makes treatment more precise and provides comfort to children and their families – such as special illuminating equipment that makes injections easier
• pioneering research to create new ways to deliver care – like the groundbreaking 3D MRI scanner that helps diagnose heart problems in babies while they’re still in the womb
• making the hospital feel more like home, with wards that provide a sanctuary for families and play spaces for children
• looking after the everyday heroes in the Evelina London team, making sure they get the care and support they need – such as comfy seats for tired feet in charity-funded ‘wellbeing zones’

By joining the Evelina London family for the 2023 TCS London Marathon, you’ll receive ongoing support from our friendly team every step of the way – from a dedicated training evening with your fellow runners, to enthusiastic Marathon Day support, with multiple cheer stations along the iconic route.

We also host a post-marathon reception with refreshments and sports massages, where you can celebrate your achievement with friends, family and the Evelina London team – against a stunning backdrop with views across the London skyline.

Join our 2023 TCS London Marathon team to champion children’s health and the amazing NHS professionals at Evelina London. To find out how to support us, click here.