Mario Goncalves took on the 2026 London Marathon for Action for BPAN, a charity supporting families affected by a rare neurodegenerative condition. On 26 April he ran 26.2 miles in three hours and 42 minutes. He had his eye on 3:30, and the London crowds carried him across the line.

Bake sales ran across the group in the weeks before, alongside a steady stream of messages and encouragement. Mario credited that backing for keeping him going when the miles got heavy. In the end, 164 supporters helped raise £4,138 for Action for BPAN. For Mario, the real win was never the medal. It was the awareness and funds for a small, vulnerable community.