Abi Sherratt, 27, was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer in February 2025. With her treatment now behind her, she is preparing to run the London Marathon on 26 April. In doing so, she wants to prove to herself that she is still capable of taking on tough challenges following her diagnosis, while raising funds for our vital research.
At the start of last year, I went to see my parents who were performing in a choral concert in Romania. Afterwards, one of their friends commented to me that my neck looked swollen. I was a little taken aback, as I felt completely fine and had not noticed anything unusual myself. However, on my return to the UK, I decided to get it checked out and made an appointment to see the doctor.
The GP felt a small lump but was not concerned that it would be anything serious. She sent me for blood tests and an ultrasound. The ultrasound raised concerns that it could be something cancerous, but I needed further tests to have a conclusive diagnosis.
It was a huge shock and totally unexpected. I was only 26 years old, fit and healthy, and I did not feel at all unwell. In fact, I had just completed a fitness challenge, running 5K every single day of the previous month.
Further tests revealed I had papillary thyroid cancer. Hearing that was very scary, especially as it was a diagnosis that had come completely out of the blue. But I was immediately reassured that this type of cancer could be treated easily, especially when caught early, and had a high chance of a successful outcome.
My treatment did not end up being quite as straightforward as I first thought. I had originally been told I would just need one operation to remove some of my thyroid, but in the end, I had to have two surgeries as the cancer was more progressed than previously thought. My whole thyroid was removed, along with some lymph nodes. This was followed by a course of radioactive iodine treatment, a form of targeted radiotherapy. I completed my treatment in September, and it appears to have been effective. I am hoping my next scan in May will confirm it has been 100 per cent successful and indicate a minimal risk of recurrence.
“I know that I’m one of the lucky ones”
I will need to be on medication for the rest of my life, but I am relieved it is all behind me now. I have felt positive and optimistic since my diagnosis, thanks to reassurances from my medical team that my type of cancer was very treatable. Of course, I am probably a little more nervous now around health issues and in the back of my mind, the worry is still there, but for the most part, I feel confident that it’s all done and in the past. I can't thank the Endocrine and Nuclear Medicine team at UCL Hospital enough for all they did to support me throughout my treatment.
There is no doubt that it has been a tough journey – both physically and mentally. But I know that I’m one of the lucky ones, as my type of cancer was highly curable. Knowing that my type of cancer was so treatable made a real difference and gave me hope.
That’s only possible because of research. It’s thanks to groundbreaking discoveries like those being made at The Institute of Cancer Research, that treatments are improving, outcomes are getting better and more people can find hope in the face of an unimaginable diagnosis. Through my own experience with cancer, I’ve seen firsthand how important continued progress is for people and families affected. It’s been a reminder of how quickly life can change, and how much we all rely on the breakthroughs that come from research, as well as the dedicated people pushing for better treatments.
I don’t know anybody who hasn’t been touched by cancer in some way, either through a personal diagnosis or knowing someone who has the disease. Everyone has a personal story. It is only through research that we will have a better understanding of different cancers and be able to treat each one more effectively. More research is vital in fighting this disease and will change every patient’s experience in such a drastically positive way.
That’s why I’m running the London Marathon for The Institute of Cancer Research - not only to prove to myself that this setback won’t hold me back, but to help fund the next scientific breakthrough.
“Running the Marathon will prove my cancer will not hold me back”
Running was not always my thing. My parents have always been keen runners, but I used to hate it! Then post-Covid, my sister and I randomly signed up to do a half-marathon and I loved it. I loved the routine of running and following a training plan.
Running a marathon became something I wanted to do, and getting a place this year after a year of health challenges and for a charity making discoveries to defeat cancer, feels incredibly meaningful. It will be a personal physical feat for me, but one that will help me prove to myself that I am well, that I can still take on tough challenges, that my cancer will not define me or hold me back.
Right now, I am very nervous and slightly terrified. 26 miles seems impossible. But I know that I will be getting lots of support from family and friends and I have heard that the atmosphere on the day is amazing. Ideally, I would love to run it in under four hours 15 minutes, but realistically, just finishing the course would make me so happy.
Cancer research is what gave me the reassurance that I would be OK. Even through it was a horrible and scary time, I knew that treatment was there to make me better again. I am thrilled to be running as part of #TeamICR and making a contribution by giving back to research. It is a thank you to those who researched my type of cancer in the past and a sign of hope for those patients who don’t have it so easy.
To support Abi and help raise funds for our vital research, please visit Abi's fundraising page.