British radio presenter Adele Roberts became the fastest woman to complete the London Marathon with an ileostomy, running the distance in just over three and a half hours on Sunday.
The Guinness World Records awarded Roberts with a framed certificate at the finish line, writing on Twitter: “Adele Roberts completed the fastest marathon with an ileostomy (female) in 3:30:22. Congratulations, Adele!”
Roberts, who is known for working on BBC Radio 1 in the UK, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2021 and began using a stoma bag after undergoing surgery 18 months ago.
The 44-year-old only stopped chemotherapy less than 12 months ago but recovered in time to set a new record.
“Thank you to every single person who has helped make today possible,” Roberts wrote on Instagram after the race.
“For those warriors living with cancer, for all the incredible ostomates around the UK and for the heroes of the NHS. That was for you.”
An ileostomy is a procedure to create an opening to bring the end of the small bowel through an opening in the abdomen. The opening can be temporary or permanent.
A disposable bag is then worn over the ileostomy to collect stool, rather than it passing out of the rectum.
“This means I currently have no use of my large colon,” Roberts wrote on her fundraising page.
“Turns out colons are quite handy for hydration and food and running marathons.”
It usually takes six to eight weeks to recover from an ileostomy but people should avoid strenuous activity for three months, according to NHS.
After the race, Roberts posted a video on Instagram of her presenting her ileostomy – which she has named Audrey – with a tiny replicable finishers medal.
Roberts was one of thousands of runners to complete the London Marathon on Sunday which raised millions for charitable causes.
Dutch runner Sifan Hassan and Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum won the women’s and men’s elite races respectively.