Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

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.

• My name is Zoe Heron and I am 24 years old. When I was 7 years old my mum suddenly passed away and I was brought up by my Aunt and Uncle, Liz and Howard. When I was 22 years old Liz, my second mum, died from cancer. Liz died in Keech hospice on the 21st August 2012. Her illness continued on and off for approximately 18 months.

She first told me she had lung cancer on mother’s day in 2011. She had an operation in April 2011 and on my 21^st birthday she received the long awaited news from the hospital that she would not need chemotherapy, this meant that the only direction she was going would be up. We were all going up, it felt amazing.

Within 6 months Liz and H took early retirement and emigrated to Turkey to start their new life, their dream. They left the UK on the 30^thJanuary 2012. I was so upset that they were moving and would be hundreds of miles away but I knew they felt on top of the world. And that was good enough for me.

At the end of March she flew home… she had a brain tumour. But it was ok, she said, they said, they would operate. Within 3 weeks they decided that they couldn't as it was now too big and she was told she had 6 months to live with radiotherapy or 3 months without!!!

The final nail

In January of this year, my Nan was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, and given 3 months to live. Quite simply, without sugar coating this…I fell apart.

Finding out about Nan a few months ago made me hit rock bottom. I knew that I could either stay there or lift myself up and therefore rock bottom became the foundation I built my dreams and hopes on. Nan passed away on the 29th June 2014.

The reason I am undertaking this gruelling challenge. This marathon, every step, every breath, every drip of sweat, ache, pain, tear is for Keech Hospice.

Background into Keech Hospice, Luton

In June 2012 Liz flew back to Turkey, to live out the rest of her life and to die in a sunny country. I flew out in July 2012, and I began to accept that I had already lost her. She was a changed woman, the cancer had destroyed her - the strongest person I knew. She had no strength and we flew her home within 2 weeks.

Within one month, she was dead.

Two weeks before she died she was transferred from hospital to Keech Hospice. The hospice was simply inspirational and words cannot describe the care and support they provided not only Liz but us as a family. I didn’t realise it at the time but now looking back they gave us the strength we needed as a family to cope with the situation in front of us.

On the day she died it was sunny, she was surrounded by her family in a room as comfortable as her bedroom in turkey, she was content and she died knowing that she would be out of pain and at peace, and that, gave us peace.

Please read my blog and follow my training. Please sponsor me and make a difference to another family. To help them through a difficult time and help keech continue the outstanding level of care to those who most need it.

http://www.zoeheron.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/about-me.html

WISH ME LUCK!!