London Marathon: Man to compete after leukaemia diagnosis

He started treatment immediately which caused hair loss, nausea and extreme exhaustion.

After being told he was in remission in July 2017, he continued treatment at home for two more months.

Stephen said the treatment made him feel weak, and he could barely walk five minutes away from his house.

“I went for a walk to try and watch my son play football, but by the time I got there, I couldn’t stay, I was just so tired,” he said.

Stephen said he only started to process the impact of his diagnosis a few months later when his wife and children had returned to work and school.

He said he struggled with a “feeling of isolation” and frustration.

“Everything seems to be returning to normal, life is returning to normal, and I just felt a million miles from normal.

“When you’re in treatments, and you’re having this chemotherapy, I was making all these promises to myself – if I get through this, then I’m going to be fit, I’m going to be healthy, I’m going to spend more time with the kids.”

Stephen said he was left feeling frustrated that he didn’t have the energy to live up to the promises he made to himself.

“I couldn’t do anything,” he said.