“My Auntie Deb was just 55 when she sadly passed away from stage 4 cancer. She was cared for at LOROS in May 2026, during the final stages of her illness, and I will always be grateful that she was able to receive care there when she needed it most.
It was an incredibly difficult time for our family, but the difference LOROS made was incredible. One of the biggest things for us was being able to spend time with Deb without the restrictions we had experienced in hospital. At LOROS, we could stay with her, including overnight, and be together as a family whenever we needed to. It gave us precious time with her and allowed us to focus on being there for her rather than worrying about anything else.
The care, compassion and support shown to Deb and our family meant so much. It really opened my eyes to how important hospice care is, not just for the person receiving care but for everyone who loves them. It also made me realise how important fundraising is to LOROS, so they can continue providing this incredible care to other families going through the hardest time of their lives.
What has stayed with me ever since is the kindness and compassion shown by the nurses, particularly those who built a connection with our family and supported us through such a heartbreaking time. Although it was an incredibly sad time, I will always be grateful for the care Deb received and the support shown to our family. It meant so much to know we could be there with her.
Deb was the centre point of our family, the funniest and kindest person you could ever meet. She was full of life and had her own sayings. One thing she always encouraged us was "do the things." Those words have really stayed with me, and taking on the half marathon felt like a way of putting them into practice. Running isn't something that comes naturally to me, but I wanted to challenge myself, do something meaningful and give something back to the hospice and incredible nurses that cared for her so well.
One of the biggest reasons I signed up for the Run Leicester Festival was seeing first-hand how difficult it could be to access care at LOROS. We were told there weren't enough beds, but what we came to understand was that the issue was a lack of funding and staff to make full use of the beds available. When we arrived, seeing so many empty beds was difficult, knowing there were other families out there who needed that same care and support. It really opened my eyes to how important fundraising is and how much of a difference it can make.
I also knew I didn't want to take on something easy. Running a half marathon is not something I would normally choose to do, but if I was going to push myself that far, I wanted it to be for a cause that genuinely meant something to me. Being able to raise money for LOROS and give something back to the hospice that cared for Deb gave me a reason to keep going, even when training was tough.
Exercise also became a real source of comfort throughout my grief. Having something to focus on, working towards a goal and getting out to train has been helping me through a really difficult time.
On the day itself, I felt a real mixture of nerves, excitement and determination. I had worked hard to prepare, despite not being a runner, and knowing I was doing it for Deb and LOROS gave me the motivation to keep going. Having my incredible support team there made such a difference. Knowing they were cheering me on and supporting me throughout the challenge meant so much.
Throughout the race, I kept thinking about Deb. I knew she would have been there cheering me on alongside the rest of my family. I pictured her doing just that, and I hope, in some way, she still was. I wanted to make her proud, honour her memory and live by her words to "do the things."
The biggest highlight was crossing the finish line and realising I had actually done it. Running 21.1km was a huge achievement for me, especially as running doesn't come naturally to me. There were definitely moments when it felt tough, but I kept reminding myself why I was doing it.
I was also incredibly proud of the amount of money I raised. So far, I've raised £1,597 for LOROS, which is far more than I ever expected. Every donation means something to me because I know how much LOROS does for patients and their families. Being able to give something back is very important to me, and I hope the money raised will help other families receive the same care and support that meant so much to ours.
Crossing the finish line was a proud moment, but what matters most is knowing that the money raised will help LOROS continue to support local families like mine. If sharing my story encourages someone else to sign up for the 2027 Run Leicester Festival, take on a challenge and support LOROS, then that's something Deb would have loved. After all, she always told us to "do the things."
