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NDS Professor of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery and Director of NDS SITU, Sheraz Markar, is set to run the 2026 London Marathon on Sunday 26 April in support of the Oxfordshire Oesophageal and Stomach Organisation (OOSO).

Male and female runners' legs

It is my tremendous pleasure to run the London Marathon for the Oxfordshire Oesophageal and Stomach Organisation (OOSO). Oesophageal and Stomach cancer are amongst the cancers with the worst survival in the UK, and further treatment including surgery has a profound and substantial impact upon patients’ quality of life. OOSO is an incredibly active organisation in bringing new and former patients together to give each other support during the most challenging time of their lives and organising regular sessions with clinicians and researchers to allow mutual learning about this cancer. The work undertaken by the team is so incredibly important and I have witnessed with my own eyes the importance of patients supporting each other and helping one another with acts as simple as dietary advice or kind words of support. The majority of my clinical research focuses on trying to improve quality of life and survival for patients with oesophageal and gastric cancer. Thus, it is my great privilege to run the London Marathon for OOSO.

People who know me will know I am not the best runner, but when the going gets tough I will be thinking of Matt and the team at OOSO and the more important reasons for running the Marathon. Please be generous with your donation and support this fantastic charity, whose entire purpose is to support patients and their families with oesophageal and gastric cancer.

Please be generous with your donation and support this fantastic charity, whose entire purpose is to support patients and their families with oesophageal and gastric cancer.

Blog posts

Who smiles in a hospital? Reflections from a week in the world of surgical sciences

Vani Tripathi, a 16-year-old student from London, shares how a week at the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences reshaped her understanding of medicine, research and the people at the heart of healthcare.

What’s next for AI in surgery? Key takeaways from the Oxford Open Grand Round

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a future concept in healthcare - it is already reshaping how clinicians work. At the Oxford Open Grand Round, expert panellists Matthew Gardiner, Ryan Kerstein and Katrina Mason explored what AI means for surgery today, where it's heading next, and the challenges that must be addressed along the way.

Beyond the textbook: My transformative week at NDS

London-based student Rohan Savjani reflects on his week of work experience at the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences (NDS), sharing how hands-on research, clinical observations and conversations with inspiring researchers and clinicians strengthened his ambition to pursue a career in medicine and scientific research.

Exploring science, medicine and psychology at NDS

Annabel Collins, a Year 12 student with aspirations to study psychology at university, shares how her work experience at the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences broadened her understanding of medicine, research and the vital role of psychology in healthcare.

Honouring a legacy of kindness: The 2026 Val Macaulay Community Advocate of the Year Award

At the 2026 NDS Student Symposium, Dr Andrew Macaulay presented Mr Martin Gillies with the Val Macaulay Community Advocate of the Year Award in recognition of Martin's outstanding contribution to the department’s wider aims around its culture and staff wellbeing. Read Andrew's moving award presentation speech, which pays tribute to his late wife, Valentine, and celebrates the values her legacy continues to inspire.