Sophie Alexander

We are raising money for...

Sophie and I, the Ova Achievers, are running the Great North Run for Ovacome, in memory of Sarah Jarvis.

I am strictly a “running only if being chased” kind of person. Sophie is only marginally more enthusiastic, which between us makes her our team athlete. Sarah, it has to be said, would have completely understood, she was firmly of the same school of thought. The fact that all three of us would have agreed that running for fun is a suspicious concept makes this all the more meaningful.

Three years ago in May, our best friend Ellen’s mum Sarah was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer - caught late, ovarian cancer's symptoms are not easy to catch. Sarah fought so bravely over the past couple of years, but very sadly, in January this year, they found out that there was nothing further to be done, and Sarah died peacefully in Isle of Man hospice in February, surrounded by love.

The last few years of Sarah's life were unimaginably tough, and yet we have never met anyone with more strength, grace, or quiet determination than Sarah or her husband Andrew, who was by Sarah’s side every single day.

Last year should have been one of the happiest of their lives. Ellen and her now husband Charlie were planning their wedding and Rachel, Ellen's little sister, was pregnant with her first baby with her husband Connor.

Weeks before Ellen’s hen party in Paris, Sarah had emergency surgery due to complications with her kidneys. She still showed up to Paris, was ever the life of the party, and looked absolutely fabulous.

Then, as Rachel’s beautiful baby arrived two weeks early (making Sarah a grandmother for the first time) Sarah was in the same hospital at the same time undergoing further testing and treatment for her kidneys. She ended up having sepsis and was put on dialysis three times a week, which was so tough on her.

Despite everything, Sarah absolutely threw herself into her role as a grandma and, two weeks later, was at Ellen and Charlie's wedding. Smiling. Showing up. Being exactly the mother, wife, and human that we can only hope to be.

So no, we are not avid runners but if Sarah could face everything she faced with such courage and grace, Sophie and I can put one foot in front of the other for 13.1 miles.

The charity which we are raising money for is Ovacome, which supported Sarah throughout her diagnosis and treatment, giving her specialist information, a community, and the knowledge she wasn’t facing this alone.

We’re running for Sarah, her family and for every other family who have been sitting in a waiting room not knowing what comes next after an ovarian cancer diagnosis. We truly hope the funds we raise will help Ovacome to support such families, just as they supported the Jarvis family.

Every donation means more than we can put into words.

Thank you,

Sav & Soph