Having had my place deferred from April 2020 due to Covid, I will be running the London Marathon in October 2022.

On 3rd October 2016 my Dad passed away at Severn Hospice after a year's battle with Mesothelioma (asbestos related lung cancer) with my Mum, Charlie and I by his side. During his final few days the Severn Hospice doctors, nurses, staff and volunteers ensured he was as comfortable as possible, that all three of us were able to stay with him 24/7 and that all of us got the support we needed.

However, it wasn't just those last few days that Severn Hospice supported us as a family. During that year my Dad had a number of stays at Severn Hospice for pain management and respite; the Hospice at Home team looked after him at home during his last couple of months to enable Mum to finally get some sleep after round the clock care; the complimentary therapists kept us all distracted with treatments; the volunteers that look after the gardens gave us somewhere to spend time as a family outside (Dad's favourite place); the Chaplain spent time with Dad ensuring his funeral reflected exactly what he wanted to celebrate his life; and the staff were always there for a hug when we needed!

Severn Hospice support thousands of families like us across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales each year and all the care they provide is free of charge but not without cost - they must raise £2 for every £3 they spend. For every £1 which is donated they spend 86p on care and use the remaining 14p to make another £1. As many will know, the Hospice has faced funding cuts and has had to close beds, as well as the ongoing impact of Covid, so this is more important than ever!

Despite this being my second marathon and the extra training time having had my place delayed two years due to Covid, I am back at square one with my running having not used lockdown as well as I could and it is just as big of a challenge as the last. 

My family and I will never be able to say thank you enough to Severn Hospice for all their support, however, I am running to raise as much money as possible in memory of my Dad and show just a fraction of that gratitude. Thank you so much for all the support (again) and lots of love xxxxx