'I wasn't meant to live past one, now I'm running a half marathon'

7 hours ago

Vanessa PearceWest Midlands

Elizabeth Rees-Gilbert will be taking part in the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run half marathon

Elizabeth Rees-Gilbert Elizabeth Rees-Gilbert has short dark brown hair. She is wearing striking glasses with a black and white striped frame. She is outside wearing a blue hoodie and holding a framed picture of herself as a child — Elizabeth Rees-Gilbert will be taking part in the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run half marathon

Diagnosed with neuroblastoma at four months old, Elizabeth Rees-Gilbert's parents were warned she was unlikely to live to see her first birthday.

But doctors at Birmingham Children's Hospital decided to treat her nervous system in a "ground breaking" clinical trial, which they believed might be able to tackle childhood cancer.

Now 35, she is fit and strong enough to take on a half marathon.

The runner from Cannock, in Staffordshire, will be taking part in the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run on Sunday 3 May.

"The prognosis was very poor when I was first diagnosed," she said.

But she added it was now a "joy to see what my body is capable of."

The newborn was diagnosed with neuroblastoma – a cancer of the nervous system - aged four months

Elizabeth Rees-Gilbert A framed image of Elizabeth as a baby is surrounded by hospital paraphernalia. Her appointment card for Birmingham Children's Hospital is there along with hospital patient wrist bands. A nasal tube can also be seen. — The newborn was diagnosed with neuroblastoma – a cancer of the nervous system - aged four months

Her cancer was treated with a drug called Doxorubicin at the hospital, under the trial by Dr Jillian Mann, who led many of the early improvements in the treatment and care of children with cancer.

Had it not been for the trial ,"I wouldn't have seen my first birthday," she explained.

The drugs worked, but left her immune system so weak that she then contracted pneumonia, ending up on a ventilator.

But she survived this too.

She was under the hospital's care until aged 16 and is still monitored by the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in the city, but says she's never looked back.

"Although it was a very scary few years, I've been very fortunate to lead a healthy life since."

The runner will wear inspirational plaques on her running shoes during the half marathon

Elizabeth Rees-Gilbert The toes of two black running shoes. Each has a silver plaque which are laced to the shoes. One reads: Takes yer time. The other says: Everything 'as its own time. — The runner will wear inspirational plaques on her running shoes during the half marathon

This will be her second half marathon (13.1 miles) , after completing the distance in Wolverhampton last year, as well as a 10k (6.2 miles) run in Birmingham.

"It's a tough distance, but I'm very well supported by my running club," she added.

"I love chatting to other runners, seeing the crowds, and just soaking it all up," she said.

"Some spectators bring handmade encouragement signs, and they can be very creative, it keeps a smile on my face all the way round."

Words of inspiration

On her running shoes she will be wearing some words of inspiration which she hopes might help other children and families going through difficult times.

"I worry about saying something that will sound trite, but one of my favourite phrases is from the novel Goodnight Mister Tom to the point that I have it on little plaques for my running shoes," she explained.

"It says: 'Takes yer time... Everything 'as its own time.' It's always grounded me in difficult times, I hope it brings comfort to others too."

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