Volunteering at a PSPA cheer point isn’t just about waving pom‑poms or holding banners. For many, it’s deeply personal. One of our long‑standing volunteers, Eram Osman, shared her journey with us.
Why I Volunteer: A Journey that started with my mum
Eram’s mum began experiencing unusual symptoms in 2008–2009, “her gaze became fixed and she rarely blinked”, which eventually led to a diagnosis of PSP after 18 long months of uncertainty. As she explained, “doctors didn’t know about it… practitioners didn’t know about it… so it was something we had to deal with by ourselves.” The impact of that isolation alongside dealing with how the condition was affecting her mum, was challenging.
After her mum passed away in 2016, Eram found PSPA. She’s always been a runner and took on her first fundraising challenge for the Hospice that had looked after her mum when she was recovering from a procedure. Since then, she has taken on more challenges. What started as a personal mission soon became a commitment to helping others feel less alone and raise awareness for the charity.
Finding community through PSPA
The first London Marathon that she volunteered with PSPA at was in 2017. It was also the first time she met other families affected by PSP, something she had never experienced before because “it was so rare…there was comfort talking to others who were going through what we were going through.”
From that moment, volunteering became an annual tradition. The connection and support Eram experienced, motivated her to want to keep volunteering for PSPA. She’s been on Tower Bridge and even ran the marathon herself in 2023 in memory of her mum.
What Marathon Day is really Like
Eram shared what you can expect on the day of the Marathon, especially if you’re volunteering for the first time:
- Practical tips for the day
- The trains will be very busy, make a plan and leave early.
- Take lunch, snacks, and plenty of water.
- Dress for every weather possibility
- Wear comfortable shoes — you’ll be standing all day.
- Keep credit cards/cash inside pockets.
- Keep your phone in a flip belt around the waist or inside jacket pockets and if possible, get a strap, so when the phone is out, its secured to your wrist.
- Phone waves are jammed on marathon day, so if you are meeting family and friends agree a meeting point in advance.
- Work out how to get to the cheering points, since trains and tubes are very busy and roads are closed. Ensure you exit stations on the right side of the cheering points. For Tower Bridge you have to go under the walkway and up the other end to get to the right spot.
- The waiting game
There’s usually a two‑to‑three‑hour wait before the first PSPA runners appear. But the cheering starts long before that. “We cheer everyone on… it’s really important that they’ve got their name on their T‑shirt so you can shout it out.”
- The energy of Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is electric; loud, emotional, and full of community spirit. Volunteers shout, clap, wave, and take photos. The atmosphere lifts runners when they need it most.
- Staying until the last runner
The team stays until the final PSPA runner passes. “We always wait until the last runner for PSPA has passed us so that we’re there to support them.”
How volunteers keep the energy going
Her advice is simple but powerful:
- “Just keep smiling.”
- Cheer for everyone, not just PSPA runners.
- Shout people’s names as it makes a huge difference.
- Make noise, wave banners, clap, encourage.
- Remember why you’re there: to lift the runner’s spirit and keep them motivated
“The crowd really takes you on the day… it makes so much difference when people shout your name. It really kept me going when I ran the marathon”
Why it matters
Volunteering at cheer points and specifically at the London Marathon is more than a fun day out. It’s a lifeline for runners who have trained for months, often through pain, injury, and exhaustion. It’s also a way to raise awareness for a condition that is still widely misunderstood. “For such a small charity, we look after all our runners… it makes such a difference.” For volunteers like Eram, it’s a way to remember loved ones and help families who are at different parts of their PSP or CBD journey.
A final word to new volunteers
So join in to feel the togetherness, the emotion, the pride, and the joy of being part of something bigger than yourself. If you would like to join PSPA on a cheer point, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator Lavonne on: volunteering@pspassociation.org.uk.
