‘I know there will be tears when I cross the finish line’
Sally Harley and her partner Bob Hall(Image: braintumourresearch.org)
A man’s double brain tumour diagnosis has inspired his partner to take on the London Marathon for her 50th birthday, raising awareness and funds for research. Sally Harley, 49, a teacher originally from Hull who now lives in North Lincolnshire, is running the iconic race inspired by her partner Bob Hall’s life-changing diagnosis in 2024.
Bob, 63, was rushed to hospital after a car accident in June 2024. A CT scan later revealed a suspected brain tumour. Further tests confirmed he had multiple low-grade meningiomas and a vestibular schwannoma on his auditory nerve. One tumour, measuring around 5cm, required urgent surgery.
Sally said: “Bob and I have been together for 26 years, so to suddenly be faced with something like this was huge. That day in 2024, the last thing we expected was a brain tumour – let alone multiple brain tumours.
“Nothing Bob was experiencing beforehand gave us any indication of the journey that lay ahead. We’ve been fortunate to travel and take on so many adventures together, but now we have to approach life very differently.
“Within days of the diagnosis, our whole world had changed. Suddenly we were faced with hospital appointments, scans and decisions we never thought we would have to make.”
Bob underwent a craniotomy at Hull Royal Infirmary in August 2024 to remove the largest tumour, affectionately nicknamed “Boris”. He initially recovered well, returning home the following day and gradually regaining his strength.
However, in November 2024, he suffered a post-operative seizure while out walking, requiring further hospital treatment and medication. “The seizure was a setback we knew could happen, but it was something neither of us wanted to happen,” Sally said.
“It felt like going back to square one. The hardest part for Bob has been losing some of his independence – especially not being able to drive or take long or isolated walks with our dog, Dane, as he used to; walking Dane was such an important part of his day.
“I was just about to go into a lesson when I got the call. Our neighbours had stayed with him, bringing blankets and waiting for the ambulance – the kindness people showed in that moment was incredible.”
Further investigations led to a diagnosis of NF2 schwannomatosis, a rare genetic condition which causes multiple tumours to grow in the nervous system. Bob now faces lifelong monitoring through a “watch and wait” approach, with regular MRI scans.
Despite the uncertainty, the couple have focused on building a “new normal” together. Sally said: “We try to keep things as positive and normal as possible, but it’s not always easy.
“For me, it’s a relief when scans show no growth. For Bob, it’s different – he’s living with the knowledge the tumours are still there.
“It’s an invisible illness, and people often don’t realise the impact it has. Bob might look well, but they don’t see the fatigue or the strength it takes for him to do everyday things.
“People hear ‘low-grade’ or ‘benign’ and assume it’s not serious, but that really isn’t the case. This is a lifelong condition – Bob lives with tumours in his brain every day, and the impact is real.”
In January 2026, the couple received further difficult news when one of Bob’s tumours showed growth, and he is now preparing to undergo Gamma Knife radiotherapy – a targeted form of treatment for brain tumours. Bob and Sally are awaiting a date for the procedure.
Determined to take on a new challenge, Sally signed up to run the London Marathon – a lifelong ambition – to coincide with her milestone birthday. She is supporting Brain Tumour Research, the only national charity focused on finding a cure for all types of brain tumours.
Sally said: “The marathon has always been something I’ve dreamed of doing. I was meant to run it in 2022 but had to pull out after getting Covid, so this time I can’t wait to be on the start line in person, ready to achieve my dream.
“Running it for my 50th birthday, while supporting Brain Tumour Research, makes it even more meaningful. Training has given me focus, routine and a real sense of purpose – it’s required resilience and shows others, including the students I teach, that age is no barrier to achieving something big.
“I’m running because I can – and because Bob is living with something he can’t escape. I know there will be tears when I cross the finish line.
“This started as something I wanted to do for Bob, but it’s become so much more than that. It’s challenged me in ways I never expected, and I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve achieved.”
Bob said: “One of the positives from all of this has been supporting Sally through her marathon training and seeing how much she’s getting from it. I’m incredibly proud of her.”
Brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age and kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer. Yet just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002.
Ashley McWilliams, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Sally’s determination to take on the London Marathon while supporting her partner through such a challenging diagnosis is truly inspiring. Her story highlights the reality of living with brain tumours, including those that are often described as benign but can have life-altering consequences.
“We are incredibly grateful for her support, which is helping to raise awareness and fund vital research into brain tumours.” Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK.
It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure. The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35m in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia.
To support Sally’s fundraising efforts, visit her JustGiving appeal page.
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