Breast cancer survivor to run London Marathon in 10-person red bus costume

A breast cancer survivor is set to take on the TCS London Marathon in a 10-person London bus costume in a bid to break a Guinness World Record and raise money for charity.

Jackie Scully, 42, from Greenwich, south London, will be marking a “huge milestone” at this year’s marathon, celebrating 10 years since she finished chemotherapy treatment for cancer and was given the all-clear.

Mrs Scully made headlines in 2017 when she ran the London Marathon in her wedding dress having tied the knot with her husband, Duncan, just a few hours before, and this year, she will be joined by nine friends who have all supported her throughout the last decade.

The 10-strong team will be individually dressed as “everyday heroes”, such as a doctor, a paramedic and a soldier, while Mrs Scully will wear a Transport for London (TfL) bus driver outfit.

She is aiming to raise £100,000 across the year for Breast Cancer Now, a charity which supported her throughout her treatment, as well as NHS Charities Together and the Willow Foundation, the latter of which provides experiences for adults with serious illnesses.

“The London Marathon is iconic and it holds a really special place in my heart,” Mrs Scully, who runs a content marketing agency named Think, told the PA news agency.

“I say if you ever want to see London at its best, stand on the streets on London Marathon day – it’s just magic.

“(The London Marathon) was a thing I never thought I could do and then I did it and thought I could go bigger.

“My wedding is entirely wrapped up in it, the park where it all starts in Blackheath was where I was recovering from surgery and when I’ve been injured, Greenwich is the place where I got back on my feet.”

The “distinctive” red bus costume, which is made out of hula hoops, plastic plumbing pipes and yoga mats, has been designed and constructed by Mrs Scully’s friend Frankie Seaman, an ex-Dancing On Ice professional skater and the wife of former English footballer David Seaman.

Mrs Scully said she was feeling “a little bit terrified” ahead of this year’s marathon due to the logistical complexities of running with nine others in costume.

“I think it’s one thing to train yourself for a marathon but it’s another thing to turn an individual sport into a team game and have nine others training alongside me,” she said.

“We’re trying to work out what formation to take, what beat to run or walk at, it’s quite logistically complex and you have to be pretty co-ordinated.

“The nine of my friends are all dressing up as community heroes, everyday heroes who make people feel happy and everyone in that bus is there for a reason.

“I get goosepimples thinking about what we’re trying to achieve and how it’s going to feel on the day.”

The team will be dressing up as doctors, a dentist, a Brownie guide, a soldier, a farmer, a lifeguard, a paramedic and a zookeeper, with Mrs Scully saying the costumes have been donated from the relevant charities or organisations.

While tackling the run, the group are aiming to break a Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon time in a 10-person costume, which currently stands at six hours and 55 minutes.

“I hope we can do it and I think crossing the finish line will be among the most amazing moments of my entire life,” she said.

“On April 21, I would have been in the throes of chemotherapy 10 years ago and to think how far I’ve come makes me feel super proud.

“I move between being completely overwhelmed by what I’ve tried to set myself, to being incredibly excited and then being hugely grateful and humbled to be alive.

“Getting to 10 years is such a huge milestone.”

As well as running the London Marathon, Mrs Scully will also be undertaking other challenges throughout the year to raise money for charity, including running the London 10k in July with 99 other people and trekking 100 kilometres across the Sahara Desert in November.

To find out more, visit: justgiving.com/team/100kourway.