I'm taking part in the Great North Run 2022 for Mummy's Star, in memory of my beautiful big sister, Hannah🤍. Mummy's Star is the only charity in the UK & Ireland dedicated to supporting families affected by cancer in or around pregnancy. Every day 2 people are diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy or shortly after birth. This news brings challenges and worry to Mum, family and friends and can lead to the loss of a pregnancy, baby or parent. A cancer diagnosis is difficult at any time; the added pressures of pregnancy, looking after a small baby or grieving loss can be scary and isolating. That's where Mummy's Star comes in!!They believe that no one should have to go through this experience alone and help families to meet others in a similar position. They offer small grants to relieve financial burden, offer support to partners and the wider family, promote awareness, and support research.

As many of you know, our hearts were broken and our worlds turned upside down when we lost Hannah to cancer last year. Receiving the diagnosis and giving birth to her precious daughter, Sadie only days apart.  Hannah sadly only got to spend 7 weeks with Sadie and also left behind her beautiful boy Jude (then 22 months old), her husband, her parents and a big family who all adored her. Not to mention Hannah’s friends, work colleagues and the children she taught. 

For me, since losing Hannah I have really struggled to comprehend, never mind articulate to others, the magnitude of losing her and how badly I miss her.  There is so much sadness for all she is missing out on with her children and family. Life has felt hazy, that vividity seeming to disappear and therefore personally, I am hoping that having a focus and time outdoors to train will help with my processing and grief. I know, in true Hannah style she would want us to be positive and make the most of life and would most definitely be supportive of us taking on this challenge.  

Last year we had a huge and overwhelming response to our fundraising page for the charities that supported Hannah in the last few weeks of her life. We will be forever grateful to those services and charities that supported her and for all those that so generously donated. In honour of Hannah’s memory myself, Megan (Hannah’s sisters) and Catherine (a friend of ours and Hannah’s), wanted to continue to raise funds for Mummy’s Star. They supported Hannah in those precious last weeks of her life and have been a source of support for Andrew, Hannah’s husband since. I am thankful to Pete (Mummy’s Star founder) who has taken the time to go walking with Andrew to offer support and share experiences. 

Running a half marathon is a huge personal challenge for the three of us, none of us have ran this distance before and since having my own daughter last year running for a bus would pose a challenge 😳! 

If you are able to donate and support us it would be really appreciated. Mummy’s Star is such a small charity and their work is invaluable. We will be forever grateful to them ❤️. 

Thank you for reading and please donate if you are able to. Wish us luck with the training (it's needed, haha) 🏃🏼‍♀️ ❤️

Beth, Megan and Catherine xxx