Ex-Oldham striker Maheta Molango runs London Marathon for leukaemia charity

Maheta Molango, the former Oldham Athletic striker who now leads the Professional Footballers' Association, is running the 2026 London Marathon to honour his father's memory and raise awareness about blood cancer. His father, Moly Molango, died in May 2025 after a five-year battle with multiple myeloma that eventually progressed to leukaemia.

The marathon challenge holds deep personal significance for Molango, who volunteered as a partial stem cell donor when no fully suitable match could be found for his father. He wants to highlight the critical shortage of stem cell donors, particularly from African heritage backgrounds, and encourage more people to register.

Molango's fundraising campaign for Leukaemia Care has already exceeded expectations, raising over £2,000 within 24 hours of launching on LinkedIn. He's now set his sights on £10,000, pledging to personally cover any shortfall if needed.

The charity provides comprehensive support to blood cancer patients and their families, offering not just medical information but also emotional, logistical and financial assistance. Molango praised their holistic approach, noting that while his family could support his father, many others aren't so fortunate.

This will be Molango's first marathon, but he's balancing intense training with his demanding role at the PFA. He draws parallels between the marathon journey and living with leukaemia-both requiring resilience, persistence and support from others.