Cottam mum's amazing running feat to thank medics who treated her for bowel cancer aged 38

Mum-of-two Kat Smith has gone from taking part in a 5k fun run this time last year to reaching the end of six a run challenge by completing the Manchester Marathon - raising more than £5,000 for Rosemere Cancer Foundation to thank medics at who treated her for bowel cancer.

Kat, 40, who lives with husband Chris, and their sons Ronnie, eight, and Stanley, six, in Cottam, crossed the marathon’s finish line alongside sister Helen, a vocal coach who lives in Milton Keynes, in 5 hours and 13 minutes.

The duo had already collected finishers medals for last April’s Blackpool Festival of Running 5k, the Tatton Park 10k, a 10k trail run in Ullswater and then Kat, who joined Preston Harriers to help her train, completed January’s Heaton Park Half Marathon while Helen did a half marathon in Milton Keynes before they joined forces again to take on the Milton Keynes Cattle Creep 10 miler in February.

Grateful

Kat, who works at the Cardiac Centre at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, said: “It was hot so I did find the heat made running the marathon harder but then running with Helen also made it enjoyable.

“I plan to keep running, reverting to more 10k races and half marathons but that’s not to say I won’t ever run a marathon again. I’m just very grateful to everyone who sponsored me and encouraged me.”

Kat was diagnosed with bowel cancer in October 2023 aged just 38. Fit from already doing some running with a full-time job and no family history of cancer, she was initially admitted into the Royal Preston Hospital after going to A&E with sudden, severe abdominal pain.

Doctors suspected appendicitis but a CT scan revealed a large mass on Kat’s bowel that meant she needed surgery to remove the tumour followed by chemotherapy. Kat said: “I had had none of the symptoms you’re supposed to look out for.

“With hindsight, I had been feeling very tired but I had put this down to working and looking after the boys. At the time, my youngest wasn’t sleeping through the night.”

Kat then had to undergo a hernia operation in October 2024 to help her surgical wound heal better but throughout her treatment, worked to exercise for both her mental and physical health. Kat added: “Special thanks to Helen and also, our other sister Susie, who lives in Birmingham and is a police officer. Susie ran the 5k with us and helped with fundraising.”

Hannah Leahy, fundraiser for Rosemere Cancer Foundation, said: “Our thanks to Kat, her sisters and everyone who has supported them on their running journey. “To go from running a 5k just 12 months ago to a full marathon while working full-time, looking after a young family and recovering from cancer and its treatment is just awe-inspiring. Kat is an amazing woman.”

What does Rosemere Cancer Foundation do?

Rosemere Cancer Foundation works to bring world class cancer treatments and services to cancer patients from throughout Lancashire and South Cumbria being treated at Rosemere Cancer Centre, the region’s specialist cancer treatment and radiotherapy centre at the Royal Preston Hospital, and also at another eight local hospital cancer units across the two counties.

The charity funds cutting-edge equipment, clinical research, staff training and innovative services and initiatives that the NHS cannot afford in order to make patients’ cancer journey more effective, comfortable and stress-free.

For further information on its work, including how to make a donation, visit www.rosemere.org.uk