Harrogate dad raises incredible £110,000 for Blood Cancer UK after completing 500km cycle and first-ever London Marathon

James Badger cycled 500km over three days on a 42-year-old vintage tandem bike from Harrogate to London, arriving in time to run his first-ever London Marathon.

Supported by a group of friends and work colleagues, James and his team rode from St James’s Church in Birstwith, where his late wife Philippa is buried, to the Excel Centre in London, arriving in time to pick up his race number for the marathon.

Over the three-day intensive cycle ride from Harrogate to London, the cyclists were in the saddle for up to 13 hours a day as they completed 240km, 200km and 80km rides over the three days.

James, whose son Thomas is a pupil at Belmont Grosvenor School, was joined by fellow school cycling dads Yemi Adeleke, Nick Wilcock and Richard Baldwin.

When they arrived in London, there was no time to rest for Mr Badger and friend Adam Ellis, who ran the London Marathon the next day in a time of four hours and two minutes.

James said: “We have raised £110,000 so far, which is amazing.

"Over the three days, myself and the team endured one crash, one broken bike, one exploding rear tyre and lots of tired limbs – and that was before we even started the London Marathon.”

It is James’ third epic challenge since his wife Philippa, 42, died of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) in 2022.

The disease currently has a survival rate of just 10 per cent.

Since then James, who is a Director at Morrisons, has dedicated himself to raising £300,000 to fund a Blood Cancer UK research project into AML in his wife’s memory.

His fundraising has already helped launch a ground-breaking three-year AML research project at Cardiff University.

His latest fundraising efforts are supporting a research project at York University led by Professor David Kent.

The project will test a new tool to understand the differences in the shape and structure of cancerous blood cells.

Understanding these differences could unlock new ways to treat leukaemia.

James added: “In between getting off the tandem after cycling over 500km and running the London Marathon, we hosted a fundraising event in London where we heard from a survivor of the type of Blood Cancer that Philippa had who only survived because of research funded by the charity – this is such positive news.

“Acute Myeloid Leukaemia is a cancer that desperately needs more research.

"This is why I am doing these challenges - not only to raise funds but raise awareness about the urgent need for better treatments.

“The marathon itself was hot and painful but we finished and I am now exhausted.”

Matthew White, Executive Director of Engagement at Blood Cancer UK, said: "Blood cancer is the UK’s third biggest cancer killer, yet it often doesn’t receive the same level of attention as other cancers.

“James’s determination to turn grief into a positive force to fund critical research into blood cancer is truly inspiring.

"Thanks to fundraisers like him, we are getting closer towards kinder treatments and ultimately saving lives.

“But there is still much more to do, and support from the public is crucial in making this life-changing research possible.”

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