Mary Seelen and Karla Thurlow from Nelson are two mums on a mission. This year, they’re stepping up their regular exercise regime to join the Run for Rānui team in the 2026 Christchurch Marathon on Sunday, 12 April.
Mary and Karla know all about the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust’s Rānui House and Apartments in central Christchurch. They’ve experienced first-hand what Rānui does to ease the journey for patients and their families during some of the toughest medical treatments imaginable, because they’ve been there with their own children. Mary’s son, Brodie, and Karla’s daughter, Izzy, have both faced serious health battles that required prolonged, life-saving treatment far from home.
The pair first became friends through Surf Life Saving in Nelson more than 15 years ago. Since then, they’ve shared countless adventures and challenges – from the Spring Challenge and Yealands Yak, to six-hour orienteering events in St Arnaud. Their regular winter dips at Nelson’s Tāhunanui Beach have firmly sealed a friendship built on resilience, laughter, and a willingness to push their limits.
In the past five years, that friendship has taken on an even deeper meaning in both the good times and bad.
At different times, both Brodie and Izzy became critically unwell, their illnesses striking without warning. Each required extended stays at Christchurch Hospital, which meant months away from Nelson and long periods living at Rānui House and Apartments. While Brodie and Izzy are now thankfully on the road to recovery, the many months spent navigating uncertainty and hospital life has further deepened the connections between them all.
“I don’t know what we’d have done without Rānui,” says Mary. “Rānui was the glue that held our family together through the toughest of times. We spent over four months with Brodie as he went through his chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant. Staying at Rānui helped make life manageable so we could stay together and focus on what really mattered – being there for our son.”
Karla agrees. “Our daughter was in and out of hospital in 2025 during her cancer treatment and surgeries, so Rānui was our place to retreat to. Being away from Nelson, Rānui filled that space providing a homely familiarity and support when we so needed it.”
Ready to Run for Rānui
Mary and Karla are deeply grateful for all that Rānui did to ease what was one of the hardest times of their lives.
Choosing to Run for Rānui in this year’s Christchurch Marathon and help raise $60,000, was an easy decision – a chance to give back to the organisation that stood beside them when they needed it most.
Having not run in a few years, their goal is to “keep themselves in one piece and not overdo it”, laughs Karla.
“We’re aiming to run the 10km, which is nothing compared to the “marathon” our kids went through when they were so unwell, and we stayed at Rānui. You’d give your left arm to swap with them and what they experienced. Now, it’s our turn to step-up for Rānui!”
One thing their past Rānui experience reminded them of is to always take the journey one step at a time. They’ll be doing that on Sunday, 12 April in Christchurch.
Pic: L-R Karla and Mary
