Alumni Profile: Tom Stubbs
28 May 2021 London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine https://lshtm.ac.uk/themes/custom/lshtm/images/lshtm-logo-black.png
“After getting into running during the various lockdowns, I decided to set myself a challenge and run for a great cause that will have a positive impact on the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the sun is out, I’ll be running around as many London parks as I can find, with the occasional trip along the banks of the Thames. In a moment of madness, I declared to my flatmates that I would aim for a time of under 90 minutes, which I am now starting to realise is a pretty challenging milestone for a reluctant runner. I also got a bit ahead of myself when applying to run the London Landmarks Half-Marathon, as I have also signed up for a full marathon in October. Let’s hope I can get over the finish line in one piece, as I have never run a half or full marathon before!
“I was unfortunate enough to catch COVID-19 around Christmas time, which meant that I lost my taste and entered quarantine during every major day of the festive calendar. However, I was fortunate not to have the worst of the symptoms, and I count myself lucky to have escaped unscathed. My heart goes out to everyone who has lost a loved one, either as a direct result or due to the secondary impacts of the pandemic.
“Despite the warning signs that a pandemic was due to hit us sooner or later, COVID-19 really did take a lot of us by surprise. Even with the excellent work of scientists and clinicians around the world, the global response faltered at some stages. I see the Response Fund as an indispensable tool that we can use to streamline our responses for the future of this pandemic and those to follow. This will hopefully save many lives.
“Despite positioning itself as a centre of excellence, alongside being at the forefront of the pandemic, many people will be unaware of LSHTM‘s COVID-19 Response Fund. I am therefore hoping to raise some awareness and funding for this important tool in the battle against all current and future pandemics. My friends and family have been very generous so far, but I think that I will quickly move towards the tried and tested fundraising methods of bake sales and raffles!”