Castlederg man takes on another London Marathon for Cystic Fibrosis

AT an age when many are easing into retirement, Castlederg man Liam McHugh is lacing up his running shoes once again - preparing to take on the London Marathon in April 2026 in his unwavering mission to raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

At 64 years of age, with a body bearing the scars of decades of pounding pavements, injuries, surgeries and setbacks, Liam admits there are moments when even he asks himself why he keeps going. But the answer, he says, is always the same.

“I can’t stop until everyone living with cystic fibrosis can avail of lifesaving drugs,” he says. “We’ve come so far - but we cannot leave the last 10 per cent behind.”

For more than three decades, Liam has turned personal adversity into purpose. Since his daughter Rachel was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis in 1992, he has run tens of thousands of miles, raised well over £400,000, and become one of the most recognisable grassroots advocates for CF in the UK and Ireland.

His journey has taken him far beyond the roads of Tyrone. He has run countless marathons, including multiple London Marathons, campaigned at Stormont and Westminster, and helped apply pressure that contributed to the rollout of life-changing drugs such as Orkambi and Kaftrio - treatments now benefiting around 90 per cent of people living with CF.

But it is the remaining 10 per cent - those still without effective medication - that continue to drive him forward.

“We cannot forget them,” Liam says quietly. “My pain is temporary. For people with CF, it’s permanent.”

That belief has carried him through some of the toughest chapters of his life. After being forced to miss the London Marathon in 2022 and 2023 due to serious injury, including Haglund’s deformity - a painful heel condition that left doctors warning he could end up in a wheelchair - Liam fought his way back through 18 months of intensive physiotherapy and shockwave treatment.

Against the odds, he returned to London, finishing the marathon despite searing pain from mile 15 onwards.

“I was slower than ever,” he laughed afterwards. “But it was probably the most meaningful run I’ve ever done.”

Now in his 65th year, Liam is back in training once more. He recently completed a 15-mile training run as he builds steadily towards the 26.2-mile challenge that awaits him next spring.

“Some might say I’m mad,” he admits. “But this has become a way of life for me.”

The London Marathon itself - first held in 1981 and now one of the most iconic races in the world - will once again take Liam past landmarks such as Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and Buckingham Palace. But for him, the real finish line lies far beyond The Mall.

His fundraising has already changed lives. It has inspired others living with CF to run marathons themselves - many now healthy enough to do so because of drugs he helped campaign for. His tireless efforts were recognised nationally when he received the Pride of Britain Award in 2020, yet he remains characteristically humble.

“I’ve the best supporters anyone could ask for,” he says. “Year after year, their generosity blows me away. I truly couldn’t do this without them.”

As he prepares for yet another gruelling challenge, Liam is once again asking the public to help him push closer to a future where CF no longer stands for cystic fibrosis - but for Cure Found.

Donations can be made via Liam’s JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/liam-mc-hugh-9

Every step he takes brings hope to families - and proof that determination, love and resilience can carry a man far beyond what age or injury says is possible.

Watch out - Liam McHugh is coming to a road near you again soon.