Running for his dad: Stephen’s London Marathon story

Stephen Tomasson is a social worker working in our Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP)’s North West Discharge to Assess Team. For him, running the London Marathon was not just a personal challenge – it was a way to honour his dad and raise money to support others living with dementia.

Stephen’s dad, Francis, was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2020. Alongside his sisters, Stacey and Sonja, Stephen supported him at home while also working full time and raising his two young daughters, Rosa and Ruby, as a single parent.

“My job involves supporting people with dementia and their carers,” Stephen explains. “It is something I care a lot about, so supporting my own dad was very important to me.”

As his dad’s condition progressed, the family made the difficult decision to move him into a care home at the end of 2021. He moved into Victoria Gardens, one of the care homes run by our HSCP.

“The staff there were incredible,” Stephen says. “They cared for my dad so well, and that meant a lot to all of us.”

Stephen turned to running to help cope with the emotional impact of his dad’s illness. He had always been close to his dad, who encouraged him in sport growing up and never missed a football match or sports day.

After completing the Valencia Marathon in 2024, Stephen decided to set himself a new goal – to run the London Marathon in 2026 and raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK.

“I wanted to do something positive and give something back,” he says.

Stephen applied for a charity place, knowing how competitive it would be, with over a million people entering the public ballot each year. Drawing on both his personal experience and his 12 years working with people with dementia and their carers, he was successful and given a place, with a fundraising target of £3,000.

To kickstart his fundraising, Stephen took on a huge challenge – trekking to Everest Base Camp in October 2025 with friends, including a fellow social worker.

“It was one of the toughest things I’ve ever done,” he says. “We trekked for days at high altitude, through snowstorms, and dealt with altitude sickness. But it was an amazing experience.”

Reaching Everest Base Camp – and then climbing higher to Kala Patthar at over 5,500 metres to watch the sunrise over Mount Everest – was a highlight of the trip.

“It was unforgettable. The scenery, the people, and the friends I made – it was all worth it.”

By the time Stephen returned home, his fundraising was already well underway.

But just a few months later, his dad’s health declined and he passed away in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital on 20 December.

“I was with him at the time,” Stephen says. “He was a very positive person who loved life. He always used to say, ‘Let’s go baby!!!’”

Stephen admits he considered pulling out of the marathon, but with encouragement from his family, friends and the charity, he decided to keep going.

Training began on 1 January – and Stephen committed fully.

“I hardly missed a day. I built up to running around 100 kilometres a week and completed over 1,200 kilometres before the marathon.”

There were early mornings, cold runs and long hours along the canal paths. Support from his running club, Maryhill Harriers, also made a big difference.

When the day finally arrived on 26 April, it was an experience Stephen will never forget.

“The atmosphere in London was incredible. The crowd support was amazing – I could hardly hear my music over all the cheers of ‘Come on Stevie!’”

As he ran, Stephen thought about his dad and the encouragement he would have given him.

“It was one of the best moments of my life.”

At the finish line, Stephen connected with others from Alzheimer’s Research UK and was inspired by the many personal stories behind each runner.

“Everyone had their own reason for being there. It really shows the difference people can make.”

Stephen exceeded his fundraising target, raising over £5,000 for the charity.

“I am so grateful to everyone who supported me. It means a lot.”

Since the marathon, Stephen has enjoyed spending time with his daughters and reflecting on what he has achieved. But he’s already looking ahead to his next challenge – the Malaga Marathon later this year.

“I’d love to do London again one day,” he says. “It really was something special.”

Stephen would like to thank Alzheimer’s Research UK for the opportunity, and his daughters, family, friends and HSCP colleagues for their support throughout his journey.