Spot: Poppy’s Double Marathon - From Rock Bottom to Race Day for St Catherine's Hospice

 SPOT: a slightly different format to the Roundtable discussions where we Spotlight a Charity, Social Initiative or in this case an inspiration in the community.

It's Easter Monday. A lively teenager Poppy May feels a sudden pain in her back. Within weeks, she can no longer move or feel anything from the waist down.

Eight years later, that same teenager is lining up at the start of the Brighton Marathon in a racing wheelchair. Two weeks after that, she’ll do it all again at the London Marathon.

This episode lives in that contrast.

Not a highlight reel, not a tidy comeback story — but an honest, unfiltered look at what it actually takes to keep going when life changes overnight.

Poppy shares her journey with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), what daily life really looks like when your upper body carries the full load, and how marathon training changes when every mile is powered by your arms and shoulders. But beyond the physical challenge, we get into what people don’t often hear about: years of serious mental health struggles, time spent in psychiatric care, and the long, difficult shift from simply surviving to actively choosing recovery.

Poppys message is simple, but not easy: support matters — but the decision to get better has to come from within.

We also talk about the power of community, finding gratitude in the small things, and how you can be part of her journey. Poppy shares why she’s raising money for St Catherine’s Hospice, how to support her fundraising, and how to follow her progress on race day (Brighton Marathon, bib number 32429).

Please connect/follow Poppy May on Socials... If you care about mental health, disability sport, or the impact of community and hospice care, this conversation will stay with you long after it ends... Poppy is truly inspirational.

Please click on 'Send a text' above & join our Facebook group to share your perspective and suggestions for future topics - Thank you for your interest! Clive.

Transcript

Welcome And Community Spotlight

SPEAKER_00 0:00

The Sussex and Surrey Soapbox in the community. Supporting local charities, social initiatives, and events that make a refreshing difference. So it's the Sussex and Surrey soapbox. Now usually we have a round table and we get into local issues that matter. But sometimes we like to do a bit of a spot feature, spotlighting a charity, a social initiative, or a very special person in the

Poppy May’s Marathon Challenge

SPEAKER_00 0:25

community. And Poppy, welcome. Hello. You are one of these very inspirational, yeah, amazing individuals. You're in a wheelchair, you've been in a wheelchair for a number of years. We're going to get into that story, but more importantly, you're raising money for St. Catherine's Hospice this Sunday at the Brighton Marathon.

SPEAKER_01 0:42

I am indeed, yeah. It's my second marathon. I took on London in 2024. And I don't know why I signed up to another marathon, but here we are, it's two days away, and we're not backing out.

SPEAKER_00 0:56

And you've got two marathons. You've got the one in Brighton coming up Sunday, and then you're going to do the London marathon in what two weeks' time?

SPEAKER_01 1:02

Yeah, exactly. Two weeks after Brighton. I take on another marathon.

SPEAKER_00 1:07

Now, um, on a serious note, obviously you're in a wheelchair, so people running in the marathon it's difficult enough as it is.

Racing In A Wheelchair

SPEAKER_00 1:14

Are you in a wheelchair? Does that does that add a different complexity to it all, shall we say?

SPEAKER_01 1:19

Uh 100% because you're working 50% more of your effort and your energy is going into obviously your upper body. So your upper body takes on absolutely everything the heels, the bumps, the slowing down, everything that you do day to day as upper body. So it definitely takes its tile when it's very hard to move the next day.

SPEAKER_00 1:40

And in real terms, you've been in that chair for less than half of your life. So it's not long you've been in the chair, and we're gonna get into that topic and we'll come back to uh how people listening to this can support you uh for the marathon card, both follow you around on the app, but also donate uh because you're raising money for St. Catherine's Hospice. Um, but if you don't mind rewinding back, how did you end up in in the chair, if you don't mind me

How Paralysis Began At 17

SPEAKER_00 2:06

asking?

SPEAKER_01 2:06

Yeah, no, I'm I'm quite open about it. Um so I basically ended up with back pain on the Easter Monday um around eight years ago, um, and it then developed into not being able to feel anything or move anything from my waist down, um, was referred to hospitals, physio, had MRI scans, CT scans, had everything thrown at me, and no one could figure out what was wrong. So I was diagnosed with something called functional neurological disorder.

SPEAKER_00 2:35

Wow, and how old were you when this happened?

SPEAKER_01 2:38

I was 17 years old, just started college.

SPEAKER_00 2:41

17, just started college, Easter, bit of back pain, and then before you know it, literally a couple of weeks later.

SPEAKER_01 2:48

Yeah, literally couldn't move anything from my waist down. Literally had to, we went I went from being able to run for the bus to college to barely being able to get out of bed, move myself to into my chair, to get out of bed, and literally having to drag my entire body upstairs to my bedroom.

SPEAKER_00 3:09

Wow. And and yet you looking you know, it's only eight years ago that it's not a long time ago. The fact you're gonna do a marathon in a wheelchair, two marathons, and you're so bubbly, so energetic, so positive. How did you how did you get through that news and bounce back so strongly?

Mental Health Crisis And Turning Point

SPEAKER_01 3:28

Um I wasn't always this positive. Um, I had such a bad period of mental health where practically for about three years roughly, I was in in and out of psychiatric hospitals being sectioned, was known to Sussex police because of my mental health. Um and I was basically trying to take my life almost almost every day, if I'm honest. Um, and it was after three years of just constantly being in and out of places, like AE and psychiatric hospitals, that I decided to actually start living my life rather than surviving my life.

SPEAKER_00 4:02

Um and what's the main thing that turns and and anyone that might be listening to this for various reasons going through a similar struggle? What things come together and what actions did you take to become the person you are now? Literally, I mean that'll be what five years later.

SPEAKER_01 4:18

Um, it's gonna sound brutal, but it has to come from within you. Loads of people were telling me you need to do this, you need to go to therapy, you need to do, and I didn't want to listen to it, I didn't want to hear it. Um, you have to do it yourself. There's no professional out there who's gonna help you with your recovery. I mean, they can give you the support and they can give you advice and tips, but it has to come from within you. So you have to want to get better, and you have to want to choose to get better in order for things to get better yourself.

SPEAKER_00 4:45

And this is a theme that very much resonates when we spoke to Men Share Listening Group also. Although there's that support, there's services around, you have to want to take that first little step yourself to really realise life's not serving you, gotta do something different, and just small steps.

Life Now And Giving Back

SPEAKER_00 5:03

Um, and then a few years later, poppy today, describe your life today for those listening.

SPEAKER_01 5:09

It's chaotic if I'm honest. Um we I do a lot of races, I work with several brands, including Gymshark, um, which is a dream for me. Um, I'm constantly getting invited to events. I received a Crawley Community Award last year, which was such a surreal moment.

SPEAKER_00 5:27

And maybe this year is who knows?

SPEAKER_01 5:29

And maybe this year, who knows? If if you want to nominate me, go for it. Um, yeah, it's it's quite crazy to think that I'm living the life that I've always dreamed and I've always wanted, and I didn't think I would ever make it out of the situation that I was in, but I did, and I'm proving so many people wrong, and I'm just yeah, I'm showing that life does get better after mental health. It doesn't always stay the same.

SPEAKER_00 5:52

And you do so much for the community. You're one of these people that love giving, sharing, helping. You're also involved with uh Tess's Kitchen, Ichbel Khan as well.

SPEAKER_01 6:01

Yeah, I get involved as much as I can within the community because I guess it's my way of giving back when they helped me during very, very difficult times. So many strangers stepped in to save my life, quite literally save my life, and I'm so grateful for that. So I yeah, I guess I want to give it back to the community.

SPEAKER_00 6:20

And we'd love for you to come along. We've got a family party coming up on the 11th of July, Saturday, 11th of July at the Broadfield Community Centre. We'd love for you to come along to that if you're free that day. Uh, because you're a content creator as well. We just say hello to all

Targets, Tracking, And How To Donate

SPEAKER_00 6:32

your fans. Um but before we finish up, uh, Brighton Marathon, what sort of time are you expecting to finish in?

SPEAKER_01 6:38

Um I don't really know, to be honest.

SPEAKER_00 6:41

You'll just be happy to complete it.

SPEAKER_01 6:43

I will be happy to complete it and get over those hills because some of those hills are putting me off, I can't lie. Um, but I'm gonna reckon I'm gonna go for four hours and 30 minutes. And if we don't go for that and we still get it if I still complete it, then I'm happy and I don't have to do it again.

SPEAKER_00 6:59

And uh grab a pen and paper if you're listening to this, or pause us for the moment because we're gonna read your number. You must know your competition number. So people download the app for the uh Brighter Marathon, they can follow you around the route on the map. And if people want to donate and support you on this, not just this marathon, but the London one two weeks' time, how might they do that?

SPEAKER_01 7:18

Uh I have a Just Given page on a fundraiser link, which is on my Facebook and all my socials, so you can find me on there, it's just Poppy May.

SPEAKER_00 7:27

Poppy May, M-A-Y. Come and search Poppy May. And why St. Catherine's Hospice?

Why St Catherine’s Hospice Matters

SPEAKER_01 7:32

Um, so I recently moved to near the hospice and I've seen how uh the you know the staff members go in there and how they treat the patients. I've also got a friend as well who's under the hospice, and I just I just think they're such a lovely charity, and why not support your local charities, your local hospices? Because not enough people do, and I feel like it's something that needs to be done.

SPEAKER_00 7:56

So and there's a massive funding shortfall. We've had St. Catharines Hospice on the show before, they do amazing work, and you're right, everyone that works there has the patience in their mind, the people that they care for, not only in the hospice but at home as well. So fantastic cause, um, and good luck for

Recovery Plan And Race Number

SPEAKER_00 8:13

Sunday. And then you've got the London Marathon. How are you going to recuperate? You've got two weeks until you do it all over again.

SPEAKER_01 8:19

Um, honestly, don't know. Um, you have to carbload before you do any sort of big race. So literally, I will come out of Brighton marathon, and then the next week or so will be loads of pasta, loads of bread, loads of pastries, all the carbohydrates possible in order to recover and to help me for the next one.

SPEAKER_00 8:38

Well done, you right. So that race number, if you've got your pen and paper, you've got the Brighton app, it's the Brighton Marathon app, but you can put this race number in. What is it, Poppy?

SPEAKER_01 8:47

It is 32429.

SPEAKER_00 8:50

32429. Yep. Well, the

Thank You

SPEAKER_00 8:54

best of luck. Is there anyone you want to say thank you to? Have you got a coach or is it all just from within Poppy?

SPEAKER_01 8:59

Um, no, to be honest, there's a few people I'd like to thank. Um Sean from Manshire, number one, for inviting me on to his um, he invited me to one of the meetings, so I did a story about how I was like when I was at Rock Bottom to where I am now. Um I want to say thank you to all of the Crawley community for supporting me and especially Sussex Police and South East Coast Ambulance Service for dealing with me in such difficult situations.

SPEAKER_00 9:28

And it's nice to come out the other side and go back there and say thank you for all of those times where where life was a bit different back then. Um well done to you. Such an inspiration, Poppy, so much energy, and I'll be following you Sunday. Good luck for the marathon.

SPEAKER_01 9:43

Thank you very much. I'm gonna need it.

SPEAKER_00 9:45

Just quickly, how much does this wheelchair weigh? Is it is it heavy or you got a special sporty one?

SPEAKER_01 9:50

I don't have a special sporty one, unfortunately, because I don't have the money to. Um this one I believe is around seven, eight kilos, I believe.

SPEAKER_00 9:58

And how much is a sporty one?

SPEAKER_01 10:00

About £10,000.

SPEAKER_00 10:01

Wow, wow. Is it an electric one?

SPEAKER_01 10:04

It'll get you up the hill on the Yeah, I'm gonna need it.

SPEAKER_00 10:07

Good luck, Poppy. Thanks very much.

SPEAKER_01 10:10

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 10:11

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