‘I am a mystery’: Mirfield teen with rare brain tumour set to be one of youngest London Marathon runners

At just 18 years of age, Alissa Bowman will be one of the youngest people running the gruelling 26.2 mile course in the capital on Sunday, April 26.

A former pupil of Mirfield Free Grammar, she was diagnosed with the cancerous tumour just a few days before her 16th birthday in December 2023.

But despite months of procedures, scans and surgery, all while still studying for her GCSE’s, doctors revealed to the family they had not dealt with a similar case in the UK and were unable to diagnose the type of brain tumour Alissa had.

In May 2024, she began chemotherapy every three weeks at Leeds General Infirmary in a bid to get rid of it and by November of that year she had completed six successful rounds, which meant her tumour had shrunk by 90 per cent.

Even before then, in October 2024, she completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks to raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity.

Her mum, Fran, then ran the London Marathon last year to continue the fundraising efforts for the same charity.

Now at the minimum age to take part in the event herself, Alissa will be running this year’s marathon in aid of children’s cancer charity Young Lives vs Cancer, along with her dad and brother.

Alissa told the Reporter Series: ““My mum did it last year, and if it wasn’t for her doing it last year then I wouldn’t have thought to have run a marathon.

“I am really excited about it. The only thing that I am nervous about is getting injured and not being able to do it.

“Other than that, I am really looking forward to it and I am enjoying the training and moving my body again.”

She added: “Young Lives versus Cancer provide a lot of family support and a lot of people forget that it’s not just the child going through it, it’s the family as well.

“If a child is in hospital the family is there as well. It’s not just one person affected, it’s the whole family, and they provide so much financial support and support in general for families.”

Giving a current update on her condition, Alissa said: “I am a mystery, that’s one way to put it. I just live in the moment because with me they can’t tell me what’s going to happen and they don’t know themselves.

“Every six months I go for an MRI, and the last results showed it had shrunk again, but for the rest of my life I will probably have to have scans every six months because there is no other record of this and no knowledge behind this. No one knows.

“I am definitely trying to find my feet again with life. It hasn’t been easy. Getting into running and fitness has really helped. It’s been really important. I lost myself, but, mentality, I always knew it was just a phase and I’d get myself out of it.

“I’m going to do it and I know I will do it.”

Mum Fran added: “She has coped with all this amazingly well. She really is amazing.”

To donate visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/cormac-bowman-1764200042389?utm_medium