'Running helped save me after my cancer diagnosis'

Mr McMillan says his dog Maisie has been "a big part of my recovery"

A frontline health worker said running helped save his life after he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and a heart murmur.

Graham McMillan, 59, from Peterborough, an emergency care assistant with the East of England Ambulance Service, has been treated for neuroendocrine cancer, which starts in hormone-producing nerve cells.

"I think a lot of my recovery has been because I've been fit and running," he said. "It's not competitive, [doing] fast running and silly distances, just 5ks every now and again that have kept me going."

Mr McMillan will take part in the Great Eastern Run on 12 October before running the London Marathon in April 2026.

"This will be my first and my last [London Marathon]. After this, I'll be retiring."

Mr McMillan, who grew up in Adelaide, Australia, hopes his 12-year-old dog Maisie will be with him at the finish.

"Can I say I'm going to try to sneak Maisie onto the finish line at the London Marathon?

"Perhaps, we'll see what happens - but it would be lovely to cross the finish line with Maisie because she's been such a big part of my recovery and rehabilitation."

He will be raising money for the British Heart Foundation and the Royal Free Hospital in London, where he was treated.

Mr McMillan was treated for neuroendocrine cancer in London

Cancer of the neuroendocrine system - made up of nerve and gland cells that make and release hormones - can affect the stomach, bowel, pancreas and lungs.

Mr McMillan aims to raise awareness of the importance of regular health checks as well as eating well and exercising.

He did not notice any symptoms of his heart condition - spotted by a cancer doctor preparing him for surgery.

"The heart's such a complex part of the body and we just don't know what's going on inside us," he said.

Mr McMillan says his job was "an enormous incentive for me to get well"

Mr McMillan believes being fit helped his recovery after an operation on his liver, which was affected by the cancer.

"I want to get people out, getting fit and being more aware of their body," he said.

"That certainly helped the speediness of my recovery.

"I was told the recovery after the operation I had on my liver would be about eight months and luckily enough I was able to do it in about eight weeks," he said.

Mr McMillan now cycles to work after an appeal to help him buy a new bike resulted in a donation from Halfords.

He said his job had been "an enormous incentive for me to get well".