Best of luck to our Oxford Half Marathon runners!
We just wanted to say a huge thank you and best of luck to our Oxford Half Marathon Runners! The iconic flat route is taking place on 12 October 2025 and we have a fabulous team of 11 running for Occtopus.
Included in this total are four runners from the colorectal team at Churchill Hospital, Oxford. Consultant Colorectal Surgeons Kat Baker, Ed Dickson, Bruce George and Consultant Anaesthetist / ICU Laura Vincent are on a mission to raise awareness and drive funding for bowel cancer, Crohn’s and colitis.
By taking on the 13.1-mile challenge, the OUH colorectal team aims to highlight the importance of continued research and funding for these life-changing diseases, while also raising awareness of their increasing prevalence within the community.
“As Colorectal Surgeons, we are reminded every day just how vital it is to advance research and innovation in colorectal health — particularly as we are now seeing an increasing number of young adults with colorectal cancer,” said Kat Baker, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at Churchill Hospital, Oxford.
“Running the Oxford Half is our way of taking that message out into the community — encouraging people to get unusual bowel symptoms checked early and raising vital funds for Occtopus, so the charity can continue improving care and outcomes for patients of all ages, here in Oxford and beyond”.
The sold-out run will return to Oxford on 12 October, with organisers expecting 13,000 people to take part in the race through the city.
The 13.1 mile course takes runners through the streets of the historic city, out to Old Marston village and the River Cherwell, with University Parks hosting the event village that will house an array of vendors and entertainment for participants and spectators to celebrate together post-race.
Supporters of the colorectal team can donate via the team’s JustGiving page:
https://www.justgiving.com/
