On Sunday 10th September this Blood Cancer Awareness Month, Amy Cotter laced up her trainers to take on the iconic Great North Run.
Amy took on the challenge of running 13.1 miles in the half marathon, and recently spoke about how she was motivated to take on this challenge after her cousin, Nicola Mallen, was recently diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia in January 2022.
“The Great North is infamous, and it will be an honour to do it on behalf of Cure Leukaemia.
It is the least I can do. People are fighting for their lives day in day out and if I can raise awareness and funds by running then why not!
Whilst Nicola was having treatment, her health deteriorated and on the 30th April 2022 she was put into an induced coma due to an infection in her Hickman line. This later developed into sepsis.After 12 days she was brought out of the coma but it did not go without further complications. Doctors had struggled to stabilise her blood levels which lead to her being diagnosed with Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Unbeknown to her family at the time, she was given months to live.
She was already on the waiting list for a stem cell transplant – but she was against the clock!
A match was found and on 27th September 2022 she underwent a stem cell transplant.
Nicolas first grandchild was born in August 2022 – Thanks to her donor she has been given a second chance to live life to the full and watch her granddaughter grown up.”