I did it!!!

After four months of tough training, running in snow, sprinting to work, and jogging round most of the parks and pavements in london, I ran the London Marathon in 4 hours 51 minutes.

It was incredibly tough, especially after my legs gave up after 22 miles but the kind words, generous donations and thoughts of the people who would benefit kept me going. It was an amazing experience and the support of the crowds were fantastic, really reminds you how wonderful people can be!

If you thought I could never do it, and wanted confirmation before parting with your cash, then you can still donate for the next few months. Read below to find out more about the charity, and why I ran all that way!!

The reason

As many of you may already know, the summer before last, my Dad was told that his battle with cancer was finally over, and that he had a few short weeks to live. The news came as a huge shock and it turned our lives upside down. Despite this, arriving at our local hospice, my dad (forever the optimist), looked across the garden outside his bedroom and said 'I'm so lucky' - I couldn't quite share his sentiments at the time, but soon realised that we were incredibly lucky - we were looked after so well from the moment we walked through the door of the hospice and received an incredible level of support and care for the remainder of our time there.

This care made such a difference to his last few months. His prognosis grew, only a little, but enough to spend some pain free cherished memories with our friends and family. And it gave him and us, time to say good bye. He had extended visits back at home, managing several Sunday Roasts, trips to the pub, and even my university graduation in Manchester. All of which was made possible through the encouragement and support of the nurses (and a very determined patient).

Sadly, our story is not unique. While scientists the world over try to find a cure for cancer, and patients bravely battle on, there are always the unfortunate few who, like my Dad, have their lives ended early. In a world where we don't have the choice how to die, good palliative care is so vital, both for the comfort and peace of mind of patients but also their families as they come to terms with their loss. The nurses, doctors and volunteers are exceptional at what they do and treat every patient with a huge amount of compassion.

Big thank you

Hospices rely largely on donations to carry out this good work and make sure that every patient who needs this care can get it. As a massive thank you to those wonderful people, I ran the London Marathon this year to raise money for the Severn Hospice Charity.

Love and thanks

Bethan

xxx

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 and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.