Hi Everyone,

I am running the London Marathon in aid of the specialist palliative
care team at Barnet hospital. Many of you will know that this is a charity very close to my heart and I would appreciate your help and support in achieving my target figure of £4000 over the next few months.

Palliative care is the active holistic care of patients with advanced progressive illnesses. These could include, cancer, motor neuron disease, multiple sclerosis, dementia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are a few of the life- limiting conditions that often require support and management from specialist palliative care teams. Palliative care professionals care for people whose illnesses are no longer curable, enabling them to achieve the best possible quality of life, in an environment where the person and their families feel supported, with the main goal that they die with dignity in the place of their choice.

The driving force for me to run the 2019 London Marathon for the specialist palliative care team at Barnet hospital is all down to my wife! As a specialist palliative care nurse herself at Barnet hospital she knows the importance of funding to allow the team to continue to provide excellent end -of -life- care to patients and their families. The money raised will allow the team to provide equipment which is often ‘above and beyond’ what the NHS would typically supply.

My goal is to raise as much money as possible so that the palliative care team can attend study days. On -going education is so important in palliative care, therefore making sure all the specialist palliative care nurses attend regular study days to keep their skills up to date.On the day my only aim is to take in the atmosphere, enjoy the experience and hopefully see my friends and family around the course to cheer me on.

Please dig big or small to support our local palliative care team.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.

Thomas