‘I feel like a new woman’: Barbara’s inspiring journey to the finish line at the Echo mini marathon

The outstanding achievement of Barbara Philpott was without question one of the most inspiring and heartwarming stories to emerge from last Sunday’s 2025 Echo Women’s Mini Marathon.

Remarkably, Ms Philpott completed the mini marathon just a few months after being on life support for almost five weeks, and having half a lung removed due to a tumour.

Given another chance at life, Ms Philpott has grabbed it with both hands. 

Speaking to The Echo, she described the sheer elation she felt at crossing finish line.

“I felt like a new woman,” she said.

 “The reason I did the marathon was to prove to myself and to prove to others, maybe, going forward, what can be done.”

Ms Philpott also wanted to thank all her family, friends, and all who supported her along the road to recovery.

Her daughter, Vickie Thompson, spoke of the immense pride at what her mother accomplished by completing the mini marathon.

Super proud

“She had to learn how to walk, how to talk, and everything again,” said Ms Thompson. 

“To be able to build herself up and to be able to walk the marathon in 56 minutes. We are just super, super proud.

“For her to be able to finish it and throw her arms up in the air to say that she did it, it was fantastic.

“We call her our little pocket rocket! She is amazing. Her strength there and her determination, there are no boundaries with her. She is just absolutely amazing.

“For us, it was all kind of last minute. Mam didn’t tell us until the night before that she was going to do it. It is just true Barbara style, just to prove to herself that she is going to do it.”