In April next year, I am absolutely honoured to have been selected as one of the representatives to run London Marathon 2025 for the Severn Hospice.

As people who know me may know, on December 30th 2024 heaven gained an angel, after my gorgeous, amazing and inspirational mumma bear fell asleep after a seven year battle with cancer. I refuse to say that she lost her battle, because people who knew Sharron knew that cancer never once defined her or her life and she fought against it right until the very last day. My mum was an unstoppable force and took advantage of every single day; she lived life to the fullest.

During my mums last few months, Severn Hospice became her sanctuary. It was her safe place, her home from home and the incredible nurses and doctors who worked there became her family. Every weekend I went back to Shropshire, we’d have a sleepover in her room in the hospice and they’d treat me with the kindness and compassion I needed during a time that was incredibly challenging. It would be a rare moment that mums room was ever empty; she was at her happiest chatting away with one of the lovely staff who’d come to see her in her room, or she was in the craft room with the amazing Amanda. I can safely say she loved the hospice and the people there loved her.

I got in to running after mum encouraged me during lockdown (begrudgingly at first!) to go with her to break up the days. My mum was a fantastic runner, completing London marathon 3 times as well as various other long distance running events. She truly inspires me to this day, to push yourself out of your comfort zone and grab every single opportunity life presents. That’s why I am truly over the moon to be able to run for such an incredible charity that Severn Hospice is and follow in her footsteps by running London Marathon next year.

I could never give enough back to the hospice to thank them for how they cared for my mum, cared for my whole family and made each of us feel safe during an incredibly scary, traumatic time. It would mean the absolute world to me and to my mum, if you could contribute anything no matter how big or small to giving back and saying thank you to the hospice for everything they do.

Thank you, Simmy x