Sarah Haddock hopes her first London Marathon will raise vital funds for Spinal Research – and net a new Guinness World Record.
For the 42-year-old is aiming to become the fastest to complete the iconic 26.2 mile route through the capital dressed as a fish.
Sarah is taking on the huge challenge four years after her life was turned upside down when a freak accident left her husband Paul paralysed from the neck down.
In October, 2021, the couple from Hoo, Rochester, had been on holiday in Corfu. Sarah had flown back to the UK for a hospital appointment so wasn’t there when Paul passed out in the bathroom causing a serious spinal cord injury that left him a tetraplegic.
Paul landed face first and was on the floor for six hours before friends found him. “We were told he was 10-15 minutes from dying and it was touch and go in the hospital for a while,” said Sarah.
It was nearly three weeks before Paul was able to be flown back to the Medway Hospital where he spent three months before being transferred to Stoke Mandevile Spinal Injuries Unit for a further six months.
“We had both been working in retail, working crazy 70-80 hour weeks, to get us to the point where Paul could retire and we could go travelling, living the dream. But everything changed in an instant and now we are on a different path together.
“It was obviously a huge struggle mentally at first for both of us but once Paul got to Stoke Mandeville and started to make some progress he became so motivated. He has worked tirelessly to make even tiny gains.
“He was my first love. We’ve been together 20 years and I’m just so proud of him.”
“Paul was so fit and loved hiking – I have always been the sick one – but after the accident our lives have turned completely upside down and even though I’m not a runner I really wanted to support the work that Spinal Research is doing for people like Paul who’ve been paralysed after a spinal cord injury."
Sarah Haddock
The many hours helping to care for Paul, 64, has led to a dramatic career switch for the former retail store manager. Alongside his evening carer, Sarah now works as a clinical support worker at Medway hospital and is about to start an apprenticeship to become a physiotherapist.
Taking on the London Marathon too is a huge challenge for Sarah who suffers from systemic scherosis, a rare condition that can cause people’s skin and the connective tissue inside the body to harden. She also was diagnosed with PTSD following Paul’s accident.
She added: “Paul was so fit and loved hiking – I have always been the sick one – but after the accident our lives have turned completely upside down and even though I’m not a runner I really wanted to support the work that Spinal Research is doing for people like Paul who’ve been paralysed after a spinal cord injury.
“And with a name like Haddock why not make it even more of a challenge do the London Marathon dressed as a fish! Hopefully I can raise a lot of money and become a record breaker!”
She will be dressed as a swordfish and joined on the London Marathon start line by Medway Hospital support worker Kirsty Reach and Matron Charlotte Flannery.
Every two hours someone in the UK is paralysed after a spinal cord injury. It can happen to anyone at any time with devastating consequences.
Spinal Research is the UK’s leading charity funding medical research around the world to develop effective treatments for paralysis caused by a spinal cord injury.
Chief Executive Louisa McGinn said: “We are always moved and motivated by the many ways our supporters find to fundraise for us. Like so many people Sarah and Paul’s life was changed in an instant by a spinal cord injury and we’re so grateful that she’s taking on the London Marathon for us.
“Today, for the first time, we are in touching distance of function restoring treatments for people paralysed after a spinal cord injury and so every single donation brings our vision of curing paralysis a step closer.”
To support Sarah go to her fundraising page: justgiving.com/page/sarah-haddock-1718775831185
