Lee, who turned 50 last year, will be running his 30th marathon and his seventh London Marathon, supporting children’s charity Action Medical Research, who fund vital research to help sick and disabled babies and children. For Lee, the challenge is a tribute to his daughter, Phoebe, who was stillborn in December 2005.
Phoebe would have celebrated her 20th birthday in December 2025, a milestone that has made this year’s marathon particularly significant to Lee.
“Running has always been my way of doing something positive in Phoebe’s memory,” said Lee. “Supporting Action Medical Research means I can help other children have better chances in the future.“
Lee and his then-wife Karen were expecting their daughter when complications began during the pregnancy: “When Karen was about 19 weeks pregnant, she was rushed to hospital with severe bleeding and we were told to prepare ourselves that we might lose the baby within 24 hours. Doctors decided to try a risky procedure to stitch the cervix closed to give the baby a chance, and thankfully it worked. Karen stayed in hospital and I spent nearly every night sleeping beside her while we hoped we could keep the pregnancy going a little longer,” recalls Lee.
“But at 23 weeks and four days the umbilical cord prolapsed, and I was called urgently back to the hospital. Karen went through an 18-hour labour even though we knew our baby wouldn’t survive. Phoebe was born on 15 December 2005, and the hospital gave us time to hold her and say goodbye before she was laid to rest just before Christmas. It was absolutely devastating.”
In the months after Phoebe’s death, Lee struggled to cope with his grief while also facing the loss of his job: “As a man you’re expected to just get on with things,” he said. “But losing a child changes everything.”
Friends often didn’t know what to say, and the couple sometimes felt isolated. Over time, Lee decided to find a positive way to remember Phoebe. He had always been inspired by the London Marathon and decided to take on the challenge and was keen to do it for a cause that meant something.
“I wanted to support a charity helping babies and children,” he said. “When I found Action Medical Research, it just felt right.” Lee secured a charity place and completed his first London Marathon in 2008, beginning a fundraising journey that has lasted nearly two decades.
Since that first race, Lee has completed numerous endurance challenges in support of the charity. As well as running multiple marathons, he has taken part in long-distance cycling adventures including an epic Canada-to-Mexico ride across the United States, as well as challenges in China and Namibia. He has also cycled the length of Britain from Land’s End to John O’Groats.
In total, Lee has raised more than £26,000 for the Action Medical Research.
Felicity Louden, Head of Events, Action Medical Research, says: “Lee has been an incredible supporter of Action Medical Research for many years. His dedication, from running marathons to taking on international cycling challenges, has helped raise vital funds for research that can change and save children’s lives. We are hugely grateful for his continued commitment and wish him the very best of luck for the London Marathon.”
Action Medical Research is the leading UK-wide children’s charity dedicated to funding research to tackle the diseases that devastate the lives of so many of our children. The charity funds a wide range of research including projects which aim to tackle the devastation caused by premature birth and research to help children with rare and disabling conditions including cerebral palsy, epilepsy and childhood cancer. To find out more, visit www.action.org.uk.
This year’s race will mark several milestones for Lee: his 30th marathon, his seventh London Marathon and his first since turning 50 last November. Running the London Marathon 2026 also provides another opportunity to honour Phoebe’s memory: “For me, every mile is about remembering her,” said Lee. “If what I’m doing can help even one family avoid the heartbreak we went through, it’s worth every step.”
You can support Lee in the 2026 London Marathon here: https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/lee-collier.