Sasha Hilton

I'm taking part in the TCS London Marathon in memory of my brother, Chris, as part of #TeamStroke

Many of you reading this will have had the privilege of knowing my wonderful brother, Chris. To those of you who didn’t know our lovely Chris, I’d love to tell you a bit more about him.

Chris was a truly amazing person. He had phenomenal qualities in such an abundance that it’s a challenge to decide which to tell you about first. Chris was fun-loving, energetic, and radiant. When people tell you that somebody “would light up a room”, this was our Chris. He could cheer a place up with his big cheeky smile and his distinct, infectious laugh. A smile and laugh that, when you saw or heard, you knew meant he had most likely been up to his usual, funny antics. Chris was always up for an adventure, no matter how big or small. If you ever called Chris and said “Hey, there’s this thing I want to do,” you knew Chris would be willing and ready to go (with his phone camera at the ready so he had the Facebook photos ready to post later). Chris knew how to enjoy life, and the importance of seizing every moment, especially moments with the people he loved most. As well as being a joyous soul, Chris was a very kind, loving, and supportive person. Not only did you know you’d always have fun with Chris, but he was also somebody who would always show up for the people he loved. He was a great cheerleader for others and had a fantastic way of lifting you up whenever you felt down. In every big moment of my life, I found my brother, Chris, making me laugh, smile, or cheering me on.

March 12^th 2026 will mark 10 years since we suddenly and unexpectedly lost our lovely Chris to a stroke when he was just 33 years old. Losing Chris has left a hole in the hearts of many people. So many of us felt the weight of the loss 10 years ago, and so many of us have felt his absence in the many moments that have passed in the 10 years since. Perhaps the hardest part of losing somebody so young is not simply grieving the person you have lost, but grieving all the moments of what should have been. While I have carried my brother in my heart throughout all of my own endeavours, challenges, and experiences of the last decade, his absence is one I always have, and always will, feel like the weight of a thousand rocks. Nonetheless, so much of what I do, I do with my brother in mind, and that is exactly what I have chosen to run the 2026 London Marathon. I want to embody some of Chris’s “just do it, live life to the fullest” spirit and, if there ever was a right time to do something as absolutely insane as a marathon, now felt like the right time.

Please consider donating to my page in memory of Chris. I have set the initial target as £3,300 (£100 for every year of Chris's life) and it would mean the world to reach, and possibly even exceed, this goal. As the event draws nearer, I’d love to have as many people who loved Chris present on the day as possible (hopefully in yellow t-shirts, or Bournemouth or Leeds kit). I am extremely excited (and nervous) for the opportunity to do something as significant as the London Marathon in honour of one of my favourite people ever. I look forward to keeping you all posted on the progress of my training, and of the fundraisers we will be planning between now and April 2026.

Thank you all for your support.

Thank you to all of you who loved Chris so very much.

You can read more information about strokes and the Stroke Association below:

There are over 1.4 million stroke survivors in the UK, with 100,000 strokes happening in the UK each year. That's one stroke every five minutes.

We're here to support people to rebuild their lives after a stroke. We believe everyone deserves to live the best life they can after a stroke, so we work with the stroke community to make sure people affected by stroke get the very best care and support. We rely on your support to provide vital services, campaign for better stroke care and fund research into preventative and rehabilitative treatments.