Salisbury woman to run marathon in honour of dad who survived tumour the size of a rugby ball

Zoe Driver, 32, from Wylye near Salisbury, will be running the London Marathon later this month, inspired by her father.

A retired IT consultant who assumed his persistent back pain was the price of enjoying tennis in his retirement was shocked when he was told by doctors he had a rare tumour the size of a rugby ball.

Richard Driver, 61, only went to get checked after his wife, Tina, urged him to see a doctor in late 2023. The shocking diagnosis was that for years a massive tumour the size of a rugby ball had been growing silently in his abdomen, pressing against his organs and threatening his life.

Richard first started complaining of back pain in 2023 but assumed it was a result of playing tennis. He also felt bloated and his wife Tina told him to see a doctor. Medics found a tumour in his abdomen the size of a rugby ball that had probably been growing for many years. Richard was diagnosed with liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer, just before Christmas 2023. His tumour was so large that it had damaged several of his organs and was pressing on the artery supplying blood to his spine.

In March 2024, Richard had a 13-hour operation at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. He had surgery to remove the tumour along with his spleen, pancreas, left kidney, part of his bowel and some muscle from his back.

The surgery went well but the following months of recovery were tough. Richard couldn’t eat or drink for six weeks, was vomiting several times a day and his weight plummeted. What was left of his pancreas and gall bladder leaked bile into his blood, causing sepsis and putting him back into ICU. At this point, he had a suspected heart attack due to his heart having to work so hard to push the infected blood around, and one of his lungs started to shut down.

Tina, who lives in Burnham Market, Norfolk, stayed in nurses’ accommodation at the hospital to be close to Richard who wasn’t discharged until May.

He went home to recover and slowly began to be able to walk, eat and drink again, and build up his strength. Follow-up scans were positive and Richard remains cancer-free today.

Zoe said: “While we don’t know what the future holds, for now we are all so happy and grateful to everyone who helped my dad and us as a family through a very difficult year. Looking back, he should have got checked out earlier but we are so grateful he is alive.”

Zoë, who is winemaker for a Hampshire-based winery, is running the marathon for charity Sarcoma UK. “I have never run a marathon before but it’s my way of raising a bit of awareness of sarcoma. I’d never heard of sarcoma before dad was ill. Watching this usually strong unfazed man battle this awful cancer makes me desperately want to do something to raise awareness and funds for this charity that is so close to our family.”

Helen Stradling, Sarcoma UK’s Support Line Manager, said: "Richard's case demonstrates why early detection of sarcoma is so crucial. These rare tumours can grow silently for years, and symptoms are often mistaken for everyday aches and pains. Richard was fortunate that his was discovered before it was too late, though his journey highlights the aggressive treatment many patients face. We urge anyone experiencing persistent pain, swelling, or lumps to seek medical advice promptly. Our specialist support line (0808 801 0401) is available for anyone with concerns or questions about sarcoma – whether you're awaiting diagnosis, undergoing treatment, or supporting a loved one."

To donate to Zoe, go to https://2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/zoe-driver