On Saturday 4th October, volunteer Gemma ran the Manchester Half Marathon, a year after having the NUSS procedure.
In October 2025, 23-year-old Gemma had surgery to correct severe pectus excavatum. Before surgery, Gemma struggled with breathlessness, chest pains and insecurities about the shape of her sternum, which made exercising very difficult.
Not even a year later, Gemma completed the Manchester Half Marathon, running over 20 kilometres and raising over £500 for Pectus Matters.
We are incredibly proud of Gemma for how far she has come since having pectus surgery last year, and what an amazing thing she’s achieved now that her lungs and heart has space to function properly.