Chloë is very proud to be running the London Marathon April 2025 for UK Thalassemia Society, a cause which is very personal to her and close to her heart. 

Chloë was first diagnosed with Beta Thalassemia Intermedia when she was 18. During her childhood she struggled with all physical exertion, school cross country being her least favourite event of the year! When she was diagnosed it suddenly all made sense to her and her family - why she was always tired, why she couldn't keep up, why she could be extremely clumsy at times!

Until recently Chloë used to survive on a bassline HB of 64, only being transfused if she dipped below 60 (normal adult HB being around 140!) Her body had gotten so used to coping with such low HB so it was decided unless she was symptomatic there was no need for transfusion. Chloë has always pushed herself and strived to be the same as everyone else, not succumbing to the constraints of her condition. 

A year ago, it was decided by Chloë and her team, that she would move onto regular transfusions making her now transfusion dependant. This was due to Chloë wanting a more stable care plan as the need for transfusion was becoming more and more frequent with age. She now has 3 units every 3 weeks at UCLH, her teams aim being to try and keep her above 90. Since moving onto regular transfusions and having an HB higher than she has ever experienced in her life so far (...still lower than your average human) this new lease of life for Chloë has caused her to want to push herself even further. She even started running - her childhood nightmare!

If you would have told Chloë a couple of years ago that she would not only enjoy running in the near future, but would be signing up to run the London Marathon, she would have laughed in your face! Usually a Beta Thalassemia patient survivng on regular transfusions with a HB as low as Chloë's, wouldn't be able to do such a thing - which is exactly why she wants to do it!

Chloë wants to run for this cause not only to raise money for something that is so important to her: to facilitate help and research for herself and others like her living with this lifelong condition. But also, to raise awareness about her condition, and inspire others like her living with lifelong conditions to never give up, always keep fighting and striving to push themselves to live as full a life as they can. 

Chloë is doing this for the childhood version of herself; the young Chloë who would dread cross country coming around each year, not understanding why it was so difficult for her and why she was lagging and struggling behind all the other children. Now looking at adult Chloë: running the London Marathon for such an important cause that will help lots of patients like her both now and in the future, well, hopefully she would feel pretty inspired.