Saving one life was not enough for Norman Grimes; now he is preparing to save plenty more.

The 57-year-old from The Street, Cobham, became one of the first people in the world to successfully donate bone marrow to an unrelated recipient, when he saved the life of Joanna Ciruk in 1981.

Joanna had aplastic anaemia and was given weeks to live before Norman was found to be a match via blood-cancer charity Anthony Nolan.

Now Norman is set to run the London Marathon on Sunday April 24 in aid of the same charity, and hopes to raise enough money to fund up to 200 new donors.

“I was very privileged to be a donor at the very beginning,” he said. “There was a one in 50,000 chance of finding a suitable donor and it was me.

“It’s given my life an enormous amount of meaning, and I think the support from Anthony Nolan is stupendous.

“It’s given my life an enormous amount of meaning, and I think the support from Anthony Nolan is stupendous." Norman Grimes.

“The marathon cheer groups are amazing. When you’re nearly at the end and dead on your feet, you see an enormous group of people cheering for you.

“It makes all the difference.”

The run through the capital will be Norman’s ninth marathon. He has previously raised £12,000 completing marathons in Atlanta, London and Paris.

He is aiming to take that total to £14,000 once the donations start flooding in once again, and always puts the cash raised above his final time.

“It is very much a fundraiser,” he said. “As long as I get over the line that is all that matters.

“Every year I have managed to actually run it to the end, but I think my proudest time was probably doing Paris in four and a half hours.”

“The money Norman raises will help us recruit more people on to the donor register to make sure we can find a match for everyone who needs a transplant.” Kirsty Low.

Kirsty Low, head of events at Anthony Nolan, said: “Norman is one of our original lifesavers and has gone on to become a dedicated fundraiser for the charity.

“The money he raises will help us recruit more people on to the donor register to make sure we can find a match for everyone who needs a transplant.”

For more information, visit anthonynolan.org.

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