A group of 4 friends from Shanklin are putting themselves through their paces to run the TCS London Marathon this April to raise vital funds for children and young people with cancer.
23-year-old Kit Maytum , 24-year-old Connor King, 24-year-old Callum Watkins and 24-year-old Bradley Lane-Williams will be taking on the 26.2 mile iconic course in London on Sunday, 27th April to raise money for Young Lives vs Cancer, the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people.
The lads – all from Shanklin – grew up together, went to school together and remain best mates despite not all of them living on the Island nowadays.
In September 2023, a tumour was found on Kit’s right lung, which resulted in him having surgery and losing about 25% of his lung capacity. As of March 2025, Kit is a year cancer free.
Kit Maytum said:
“We are running the London marathon to raise as much money and awareness as possible for Young Lives vs Cancer (formerly CLIC Sargent) because it is an amazing charity which helps those whose lives are being affected by cancer.
“As a young person myself, to have something happen to me so early on in life kind of turned my life upside down. I think it is so important to help support charities like Young Lives vs Cancer which can help try to ease the burden for those suffering with cancer or families affected by it, especially those so early on in life which are seeing their childhoods ripped apart.”
Connor King added:
“The London Marathon holds a lot of importance not only for Kit but for all of us. It’s not often that you have to witness your best mate battle cancer, and to run and raise awareness for a great charity which helps countless young people across the country affected by this disease. We are fortunate enough to be able to run this marathon with Kit in the hope we can raise as much money as we can for Young Lives vs Cancer, knowing that we may have helped someone else fight their battle.”
Every day, 12 more children and young people in the UK will hear the devastating news that they have cancer.
From the moment of diagnosis, Young Lives vs Cancer Specialist Social Workers provide psychosocial support to children and young people with cancer and their families throughout treatment. Most children and young people with cancer from the island are treated at Southampton Hospital where the specialist social workers are based. The charity also has Jean’s House, a Home from Home close by to Southampton Hospital, where families can stay together during treatment for free for as long as they need to.
Liz Blunt, Senior Fundraising Engagement Manager for the Isle of Wight at Young Lives vs Cancer, said:
“We cannot thank Kit, Bradley, Callum and Connor enough for their amazing efforts, taking on the challenge of a lifetime for Young Lives vs Cancer. For every blister they have encountered and all the running and training, we are in awe of their dedication and determination.
“From the moment of diagnosis, our specialist social workers provide day-to-day support for each child, young person and family, from guidance to financial support. Our charity relies on donations to fund our vital work, and so we’d love to see the community get behind a final push for Kit, Bradley, Callum and Connor’s fundraising. We cannot wait to cheer them on and Team Young Lives all the way to the finish line!”
To sponsor the friends, go to their pages:
- https://2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/kit-maytum
- https://2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/bradley-lane-williams
- https://2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/callum-watkins
- https://2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/connor-king
For more information about Young Lives vs Cancer’s work, visit www.younglivesvscancer.org.uk
