Running against the odds! Maltese woman with cystic fibrosis conquers the London Marathon
Against all odds, the courageous Maltese woman Francesca Falzon has completed the 2025 London Marathon, running an astonishing 42.2km while living with the chronic condition cystic fibrosis.
In a post following the race, she described the run as filled with ‘pain, coughing, a lot of motivational speeches from Luk and incredible supporters throughout, with a big surprise from Soph…’ But in her own words, ‘42.2km later, elite runners and I have the same medal.’
Despite the immense physical toll of the race, she crossed the finish line with her partner Lukas, who she says ‘kept me alive during it, and supported me through it all.’
Cystic fibrosis affects multiple organs, especially the lungs, which fill with thick mucus that makes breathing extremely difficult. In her case, she’s also battling stage 4 liver cirrhosis, a non-functioning pancreas and an enlarged spleen (21cm instead of the normal 7cm).
Just days before the marathon, she shared her fears and excitement, calling it the longest duration of physical activity she’s ever attempted with what she humbly refers to as ‘these wonky lungs’.
Besides being a personal challenge, it was also a mission to raise awareness and funds for a life-changing gene editing treatment. Donations from her fundraiser are going toward trials and research into a promising gene therapy that could potentially correct her faulty gene and allow her body to function more normally.
This inspiring feat shows the resilience of the human spirit and the incredible strength of one Maltese woman who refused to let a devastating illness define her.
Well done for this incredible achievement Francesca!