Karmen Askew, of Rothley, will be taking on the 26 mile challenge later this month to raise money for LOROS, the Hospice which has been caring for her poorly grandma.
Running the London Marathon comes at the same time as Karmen begins her new career as a sports massage therapist, a move that was inspired by the work they do at LOROS.
“I’m so impressed with the care they provide at LOROS,” said 26-year-old Karmen, whose grandma, Christine, was diagnosed with cancer in November 2015.
“The way the staff speak to patients and their families, it’s great; everyone is treated individually, their care is adapted to suit each person.”
Since being diagnosed, Christine has received support from the Hospice’s Community Nurse Specialist team.
“The thing with LOROS is, while they guide you, you still feel in control of the situation,” added Karmen.
Karmen’s mother, Carol and Christine’s husband, Peter also receive complementary therapy at LOROS.
“Mum and granddad both love getting a bit of pampering, plus, it gives them a chance to talk to somebody outside of the family,” said Karmen.
After seeing the work LOROS does first hand, Karmen decided she wanted to run this year’s London Marathon, which is taking place on 23rd April.
“So far, I’ve raised more than £1,600; it’s great to think about how much difference that will make to patient care,” she said.
At the end of last year, Karmen and her younger sister, Francesca, along with Carol, organised a Christmas event that raised £750 for the Hospice.
“It’s lovely that grandma can get involved with supporting LOROS too. She even helps us with fundraising and has even knitted my dog a specially designed LOROS jumper to wear at our Christmas event,” added Karmen.
In addition, Karmen has retrained as a sports massage therapist and is hoping to help out fellow athletes at similar fundraising events in the future.
If you would like to take on a challenge for LOROS or would like to find out more about the work the Hospice does visit loros.co.uk/support-us
