A Warrington man who faced the devastating prospect of never meeting his newborn son due to a life-threatening cancer diagnosis, is taking on a marathon to thank the hospital that saved his life.
In September 2022, Zac Hinchcliffe’s world was turned upside down when – while his wife, Danni was four months pregnant – he was diagnosed with a mediastinal seminoma, a cancerous tumour located between his lungs and heart. He began a gruelling course of treatment at leading cancer centre The Christie and as the treatment progressed, Zac’s greatest hope was to be present for the arrival of his child.
He says: “Thanks to The Christie hospital, I was able to receive chemotherapy in autumn 2022 and on December 3rd, the day after my penultimate chemotherapy session, my hope became a reality as I was able to welcome my son Fenn into the world. It was a moment I’ll cherish forever, and I owe it to the incredible care and expertise I received.
“My tumour dramatically reduced from the size of a Rubik’s cube at the start of my treatment to a fun-size mars bar by the end of it! The type of tumour I have will always leave a residue through scar tissue, so this is likely as close to getting the all-clear as I’m ever likely to get.”
Grateful for the care at The Christie that saved his life and gave him the gift of being present for his son’s birth, Zac is now focused on giving back. He will take part in the Manchester Marathon on Sunday 27th April 2025, raising funds for The Christie Charity to help ensure others can benefit from the same world-class care he received.
Prior to his diagnosis, Zac – who is now 33 and senior ecologist at a local ecological consultancy – was an avid runner with impressive times. Although chemotherapy impacted his fitness, he is training hard to close the gap to his pre-treatment performance, with a goal of completing the marathon in under 3 hours and 30 minutes.
“Thanks to the Christie, I was able to make a full recovery, and I’m now back to running regularly,” said Zac. “I have always wanted to do a marathon since I was a kid and despite becoming fully engrossed in running during lockdown, I never managed to bring myself to do a marathon. Once I learnt that I’d been running all those kilometres during lockdown with a large tumour in my chest right next to my lungs and not realising, it made me think about how many people might have cancer right now and not realise, and who might not be as lucky as me to get the treatment I needed when I needed it.
“I chose the Manchester Marathon due to it being familiar to me and being an inpatient at The Christie hospital. I have always been a Manchester United fan too, so I’m excited to run past Old Trafford.
Zac’s wife Danni and their son Fenn, who is now two years old, will be coming along to watch Zac run the marathon. Danni has also been fundraising for The Christie Charity herself, having taken part in the Tatton Park Half Marathon last November.
Lindsey Farthing, mass participation events manager at The Christie Charity, said: “Zac’s journey is a powerful reminder of the life-changing work The Christie does every day. His determination to take on the Manchester Marathon after all he’s been through speaks volumes about his gratitude and resilience. We’re honoured to support him and wish him every success.”
To donate to Zac’s fundraising page go to: Zac Hinchcliffe is fundraising for THE CHRISTIE CHARITY
To support the work of The Christie Charity, please go to Donate today (christie.nhs.uk) or ring 0161 446 3988.
The Christie Charity supports the work of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust providing enhanced services over and above what the NHS funds. This includes money for care and treatment, research, education, and extra patient services. Gifts from the public make a huge difference to the care and treatment that The Christie is able to provide to patients and their families.
