Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
Running a marathon can be like the grief journey following the death of a child….a painful, hard and lonely struggle – you go it alone one step at a time. Other people can encourage you and cheer you on from the side-lines, but ultimately only you can run the race, and only you can cross the finish line.
Andy is running in the Great North Run for an incredible charity … The Compassionate Friends – a charity that provides comfort, hope, understanding and support for bereaved parents. Andy is my step-son .
To lose a child is every parent’s worst nightmare – something most people can’t even begin to think about and something that is not really talked about. Two of my precious children (Tom and Hazel) died from brain tumours within 12 days of each other. They were aged 13 and 16 - I had two funerals within a fortnight. The pain following their deaths was excruciating and immobilising and at times I could see no way forward and no hope. No-one knew what to say or how to help, and a lot of people avoided me and wouldn’t mention my children in case they reminded me that they had died. It was very isolating. Through The Compassionate Friends I was able to share this unbelievable pain, and find support and friendship from other parents who had also lost their children – I no longer had to walk alone. I am now a volunteer for TCF as a local contact and provide 1-1 friendship, understanding and support for other bereaved parents.
Thank you so much for sponsoring Andy and enabling him to raise money for The Compassionate Friends so that the charity can continue to support bereaved parents on their painfully agonising journey.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.