Emma Kitson

I’m running the London Marathon 2025 for my nephew, Ethan.

On the 27th April 2025 I will be running my first ever marathon, London marathon, which I still can’t quite believe! When I received the email to confirm that I’d been accepted, the nerves hit big time! Not knowing what to do, I phoned everyone close to me to talk it through. The phone call with my sister-in-law, Rach, answered everything for me. Listening to her enthusiasm and excitement about the event was one thing, but the tears that came as we spoke about her son Ethan confirmed deep down, I knew exactly what I needed to do.  

In October 2020 Ethan, aged 5 at the time had a massive asthma attack triggered by a virus too great for his little body to fight.  Ethan spent 5 days on a life support machine fighting for his life, trying to muster the strength to breathe for himself, trying to beat the asthma attack – Ethan fought with everything he had, and he won! Since then, Ethan has had numerous hospital admissions with an asthmatic episode, he takes 6 different types of daily medication to try to keep his asthma at bay and has to constantly go to Drs appointments and the hospital for reviews.  He’s the most positive, energetic, happy little boy, his passion is skiing and having fun, but, sometimes his life gets put on hold because of asthma. He’s been blue lighted through Italy and had holidays cancelled when the asthma takes hold, but despite everything he has been through and his ongoing battles he never stops smiling and being happy. 

Thanks to the ongoing research of charities like Asthma and Lung UK, our knowledge of asthma, how to manage it and how to treat it is always improving.

Ethan is a natural born fighter – but in order for him to keep winning his fight with asthma he has to be surrounded by people who will fight for him and alongside him. 

With working full time and having two young children, Margot 3 and a half and Maddox 18 months, training isn’t going to be easy but having the memories of the horrendous time our family went through, the many moments of feeling helpless as we sat and waiting for any updates, will give me everything I need to get the training done. If Ethan can fight for his life, I can run a marathon. 

Together we’ll get him through it. #TeamBreathe

Every minute, someone in the UK is diagnosed with a lung condition. I want to make a difference. I'm running the London Marathon 2025 for Asthma + Lung UK, the only UK charity that fights for everyone’s right to breathe. Every pound I'm able to raise will take us a step closer to a world where everyone has healthy lungs. Just £22 allows one of Asthma + Lung UK's nurses to answer a call on the Helpline, offering potentially lifesaving advice.

Thank you for your time in reading this, any donations will be hugely appreciated.