Ravi recovers from triple whammy to run London Marathon for FORCE

Life was looking good for young doctor Ravi Poorun. He and his wife had just welcomed their second child into the world, his training and research into paediatrics was going well and Christmas was just around the corner.

Then he was hit by a triple whammy. He came down with pneumonia which quickly turned to sepsis and during his stay in hospital it was discovered he had cancer.

But after a year of immense highs and lows, Ravi is in good health and will run the London Marathon on April 21 to raise money for FORCE Cancer Charity.

The Exeter-based cancer support organisation helped him and his family through the toughest of times. He hopes to raise at least £1,000 for them via his online sponsorship page.

“I’ve found FORCE so positive and so important for me that I want to give something back,” he said.

Shock

Ravi had the shock of a cancer diagnosis at the age of 38 in December 2022, just five weeks after son was born. He and wife already had a two-year-old daughter.

He takes up the story: “I’m not sure how I took the news because I was in so much pain and probably high on morphine. The consultant came to the Acute Medical Unit and asked if there was someone who could be with me. I rang my wife in a haze and handed the phone to the consultant who suggested she come in straight away.

“I have a stark image of when the consultant came to tell us the news. My wife was sitting on my bed, she turned to me and cried. I don’t think I will ever forget that moment.”

Scans had revealed a small tumour on his right kidney. It was renal cell carcinoma that required a partial nephrectomy to remove the cancerous part of the kidney.

Surgery was scheduled for February 2023 but in the meantime, he sought support from FORCE.

Tears

“I came to the Centre just before Christmas just to touch base with someone. I remember coming into the library with Gerry (FORCE Oncology Support Specialist Gerry Gillespie) and I just burst into tears,” said Ravi.

“I realised what was happening. It was happening to me but it wasn’t just about me. I just had to get better.”

Thankfully, the surgery was a success but the months of illness and recovery were challenging.

“I found solace and support from FORCE, who helped care for me and my family and have continued to offer guidance, resources and a listening ear as I’ve adjusted to life after cancer,” he said.

As well as talking to a counsellor, Ravi accessed other free support offered by FORCE including a Moving Forward support group, a yoga course, a Look Good Feel Better session and received invaluable advice from a specialist oncology physiotherapist, who directed him to a rehab gym programme in Crediton.

Remarkable

“That started me off and after a couple of months of one-to-one personal training it got me physically better and helped me in every other way. I learnt that if I could get myself physically better my psychological and mental wellbeing would get better too,” said Ravi, who admits to getting cabin fever after surgery.

Four weeks after his operation he ran a 10k and defied his doctor’s expectations by taking part in the Great West Run in May 2023, remarkably running a personal best time of 1hour 58 minutes into the bargain!

“The achievement gave me momentum for an even greater goal – to run the London Marathon in 2024 to raise funds for FORCE.

“I have been training hard ever since and FORCE has been with me every step of the way. Their support has helped me find light in some of my darkest hours. On April 21st I will take on the marathon challenge in aid of this amazing charity.

“Everyone tells me that nothing compares to the buzz of the London Marathon. I’m really looking forward to it. Training has its ups and downs – I feel like I can finish but I would like to see how far I can push myself to get a good time.”

Determined

Ravi fits training around his work in paediatrics. After undergraduate studies in physiology and pharmacology at King’s College London, he studied medicine at Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals Medical School where he took three years out to do a PhD in clinical neurosciences at Oxford. A foundation year in North Devon followed before he came to Exeter in 2017, beginning training in paediatrics and combining that with research since 2018.

He has a special interest in acute paediatrics focussing on neurology, epilepsy and sleep. Academically he is studying neuro developmental care in neo-natal babies – how to promote brain development to mitigate poor neuro developmental outcomes, looking at pain and sleep and intervention to improve those.

He has two and a half years left of paediatric training with a one-year placement starting in Bristol later this year.

Juggling work, family and a demanding running schedule is a challenge but Ravi is determined to make it work and reach his fundraising target.

“Please support my fundraiser – your donation will help FORCE continue supporting people in our community who face health battles and hard times like I have,” he said.