A blind veteran from Wiltshire is running the 2026 London Marathon and representing Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women, which has supported her since she lost her sight.
Kelly Ganfield, 44, and from Trowbridge, will be taking on the iconic 26.2 mile route alongside four other blind veterans. Together they will demonstrate the amazing achievements that are possible after sight loss.
Over 30 supporters will also be joining the Blind Veterans UK team and together the blind veterans and supporters will run to raise awareness of the work of the charity and fundraise to ensure more blind veterans like Kelly can receive support.
Kelly has run the London Marathon once before and is hoping to finish in a quicker time than in 2015 when she last ran.
Kelly has accomplished many sporting achievements including competing twice in the Invictus Games for Team GB and in the Veteran Games and she has run several marathons and half marathons in the past.
Busy preparing for the challenge, Kelly has been training on her treadmill at home and taking part in her local parkrun in Trowbridge every weekend with different guides from her running club, the Avon Valley Runners. Three days a week Kelly has been training at the gym with Olly, her personal trainer for strength and conditioning and she’s also been completing bike rides with her tandem pilot Mike and going out for rides with her cycle club, the Westbury Wheelers. Kelly says:
“Members of the Avon Valley Runners have been trained to act as my guide runner and I would like to say a huge thank you to them, and to those at my gym and the Westbury Wheelers, for their ongoing support and enabling me to train regularly, getting my miles up and getting my legs working.”
On the day Kelly will be supported along the route by her wife Sarah and their daughter Bethany who are always by her side.
In November, Kelly proudly led the Blind Veterans UK contingent, alongside her guide dog Archie, at the Cenotaph for Remembrance. Together they made a small piece of history by being the first blind veteran and guide dog duo to take on the role.
Kelly and her family received an additional surprise that weekend. The family are all huge Arsenal fans and were excited to be watching Arsenal Women take on Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on the Saturday ahead of Kelly marching at the Cenotaph on Sunday. Kelly says:
“Football is a big part of our lives; I used to play for the British Army while I was serving and Bethany plays for Bristol City’s Cerebral Palsy team.”
Arsenal discovered the significance of the family’s visit to London for the weekend and truly made it a day they will never forget.
After the match, the family were taken pitch side to meet their heroes. Bethany’s favourite player is Alessia Russo who presented her with a signed match shirt.
Bethany wasn’t the only one to meet her hero, Kelly and Sarah were honoured to meet Kelly Smith and Rachel Yankey. The family also met captain Kim Little and defender Lotte Wubben-Moy. Kelly says:
“We got back to our hotel room on Saturday night and were taking in what had happened that day. We have memories that will last a lifetime and many special photos of the day to look back on. Bethany told us it was the best day of her entire life.
“Despite my sight loss, I strive to live my life to the full and to never let sight loss prevent me from trying new things. I’ve always wanted to lead by example and to show Bethany that disability does not define us. Bethany very much has the same outlook on life and is a remarkable young lady and for this to have happened for her, and our entire family, meant so much to us all.”
Kelly joined the Army in 1998 and served until 2005 with the Adjutant General’s Corps. She suffered a stroke at the age of 23 as a result of an auto-immune condition that causes blood clots. The stroke changed her life overnight.
She says:
“I found myself suddenly becoming a blind veteran at the age of 23, I lost my sight and my career. The charity saved my life; I owe them a great deal. They took me in after I lost my sight and have taken care of me ever since. I’ve met so many inspirational people, both my fellow blind veterans and staff who have shaped my life. I am so proud to be a blind veteran and I wouldn’t be who I am today if I wasn’t.
“My philosophy is that life is to be had as you never know what is around the corner. It is always an honour to represent the charity and to be able to give back for the support I’ve had; I’m looking forward to doing so again in 2026 at the London Marathon.”
Kelly and her fellow blind veterans are jointly fundraising and aim to raise a minimum of £1,250 – the equivalent of each team member receiving a one-day bespoke training session in their own home from a Community Support Worker or ROVI – Rehabilitation Officer for the Visually Impaired. These team members work with blind veterans to help them overcome the barriers created by sight loss to undertake everyday tasks that they may otherwise struggle with independently.
To support Kelly, you can visit the team’s JustGiving page: justgiving.com/page/lm26
If you have been inspired by Kelly, you could take on the London Marathon in 2027 in support of Blind Veterans UK: blindveterans.org.uk/LondonMarathon
Blind Veterans UK supports thousands of blind veterans across the country, but knows there are many thousands more who still need its support to rebuild their lives after sight loss.
If you, or someone you know, served in the Armed Forces, including National Service, and are now struggling with sight loss, then please get in touch. Call 0800 389 7979 or visit blindveterans.org.uk/gethelp
