Maddie Holland

I’m running the London Marathon 2027 to fight for lung health!

In late 2024, I became really unwell and was left with a persistent cough that never fully went away. At first, I was told it was post-viral, but as time went on it began to take over my life. Every time I tried to run or exercise, the cough would get significantly worse, and there were points where I could barely walk down the street without becoming breathless.

Running and fitness have always been a huge part of my life, so in 2025 I signed up for the 2026 Brighton Marathon, thinking I was finally getting better. I took time off training, and when the cough improved, I believed I was ready to run again. But as soon as I started, all the symptoms came straight back. I was devastated.

Over the following months, I repeatedly went back to doctors, but I felt dismissed and unheard. I was told it was “just a lingering cough”, despite the fact I wasn’t ill anymore. During this time, I couldn’t do the things I loved most: running, training, even just being active. It began to affect my mental health as much as my physical health. I felt frustrated, isolated, and honestly quite hopeless, like this was something I would have to live with forever.

After seven months of pushing for answers, one doctor finally listened and tested me for asthma. At 24 years old, I was diagnosed with asthma and started on the MART treatment plan. It completely changed my life. For the first time in months, I could breathe properly again. Since getting my asthma under control, I’ve completed a half marathon, something that once felt impossible.

Now, I’m taking on the London Marathon for Asthma + Lung UK.

This marathon is so much more than just a race for me. It’s a full-circle moment, finishing what I started but this time being able to breathe, run, and enjoy it again. I also want to raise awareness for people who may be struggling with symptoms and feel unheard or dismissed like I did.

Every donation will help fund vital research, support services, and campaigns for people living with asthma and lung conditions. Thank you so much for supporting me and this incredible cause. It genuinely means the world.