Woman runs six-day ultra-marathon in Morocco for charity after double mastectomy 

An NHS cancer pharmacist ran six marathons at the Marathon Des Sables to raise funds for a small South London charity close to her heart.

Anna Brown, 41, from Earlsfield, flew out to the Moroccan desert on April 21 and successfully completed all six marathons by May 1.

Ms Brown was inspired by her five-year old niece, Lucy Crawford, from Tooting.

Lucy, who has Down’s Syndrome, had major heart surgery at just four months old followed by a post-op cardiac arrest and six days on life support. Ms Brown ran the ultra-marathon to raise money for the charity helping Lucy’s development, Downs South London (DSL).

Ms Brown started raising funds for DSL in 2020, when she first entered the marathon des sables. However she was forced to pull out on day three after suffering from noravirus and severe heat stroke from the 50C heatwave. 

She said: “Eighteen months of training and I couldn’t finish. It was so frustrating.”

Ms Brown had a double mastectomy booked in for three weeks after she returned home from the ultra-marathon. 

 She said: “My mum had ovarian cancer which meant that I had a much higher risk of getting breast cancer.

“I am a cancer pharmacist so I knew what options I had and I thought I’d nip it in the bud.”

What could have been a relatively quick operation and recovery process took a year and six operations after her first surgery resulted in an infection. 

Nevertheless, Ms Brown signed up to run the marathon once again in April.

She said: “I just knew I really wanted to go back and do it.”

Ms Brown explained how challenging the recovery process was. After the operations even walking was difficult and she was told she could not sweat.

She said: “It was a real challenge but it helped having a big  goal to get back and fit.

“I really wanted to show that it’s possible to do these things.”

After her last operation on January 3, Ms Brown had just 10 weeks to train and then flew back to the desert.

She said: “It was brutally hot again, well into the 40’s and in sand dunes the heat reflects and makes it feel like 50.

“I really felt really ill again on the third day so I had to have an IV but I pushed through and managed to finish. 

“It was a 4 year journey and now it’s done.”

Anna has raised £6,000 for DLS and is hoping to keep going.

DSL is a parent run, Peckham based charity which supplies occupational therapy and physiotherapy for children with down syndrome.

Ms Brown said: “They’ve made a massive difference for Lucy.

“Down Syndrome kids have a lot of things to overcome to fit into mainstream schools. 

“The support DSL can provide really helps these kids to integrate into society better.”

To find out more visit Anna’s just giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/anna-brown33?utm_source=copyLink&utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=anna-brown33&utm_campaign=pfp-share&utm_term=2ca070570db1424c8e054fc133900301

Pictured Top: Anna after her ultra-marathon in April (Picture: Anna Brown)