Six Half-Marathon Challenge Raised £2,000 for Women’s Hospital

A 36-year-old woman from Solihull has crossed the finish line after completing six half marathons, raising over £2,000 for Birmingham Women’s Hospital Charity in honour of a friend and her journey through IVF and cancer treatment.

Over the course of six months, Anna Cosgrove took on half marathon races in Stratford upon Avon, Birmingham, Bath, Sutton Coldfield, Solihull and Henley, to raise funds and awareness for the hospital and charity that supported her good friend, Sami L’Argent.

After six gruelling rounds of IVF treatment, Sami felt like her dreams had come true as she gazed into the eyes of her newborn daughter, Elliana. However just nine days later she received a call that burst her baby bubble, and brought her world crashing down around her. Results for tests she’d undergone before Elliana was born had come back positive for grade 3 hormone positive breast cancer.

As Anna held her friend’s baby for the first time, Sami broke the news. Having grown closer with Sami through shared experiences during her IVF journey, Anna was devastated. She couldn’t believe that the world could be so cruel that after fighting to have her baby, Sami would now have to fight to spend time with her.

Sami began treatment straight away and Anna watched in awe as she underwent a double mastectomy, six rounds of chemotherapy and finally breast reconstruction surgery, all while still caring for Elliana.

Teamed with parallels in Anna’s own life, Sami’s resilience inspired Anna to pull on her trainers. More than anything she wanted to highlight Sami’s strength but in doing so, she knew she could raise awareness and vital funds to support the hospital where Sami’s journey began.

Anna said: “After Sami’s six rounds of IVF and six rounds of chemotherapy, it only felt right to run six half marathons and we joke that I’ve been chasing away the devil! Sami’s been through so much and I’m so proud of her so I just wanted to say thank you and help support other women going through the same thing at the hospital, as well as break the stigma around IVF and fertility issues.

“Before this challenge I’d never run as far as a half-marathon but with a little training, I didn’t find the distance too difficult. I did start to feel it towards the end of the challenge but Sami and Elliana were at every race to cheer me on and seeing them gave me the push I needed to cross the line.”

Annie Eytle, Head of Public Fundraising at Birmingham Women’s Hospital Charity, said: “Anna was there for Sami when she needed her most and now she’s here for us! The wonderful funds Anna raised through her six half-marathon challenge will go towards helping us to continue supporting our hospital and everyone in it.”