My Nan sadly passed away on Oct 3rd this year at the age of 91 as a result of a tough fight against a persistent chest infection and pneumonia. My cousin, Elise, and I will be running the 2015 London Marathon together on Apr 26th in memory of Nan to raise money and awareness for Age UK. And to make her proud one last time.

Age is something that comes to us all, and for some it can make life limited and less enjoyable. Nan was always very independent, up until her last 4 months where she became more reliant on the help and support of her family. Although saying that, she was still having a sing-song in hospital just a few days before she passed away. Nan was so much fun and she would never let anything defeat her. She was all about life, and doing things by herself. Many things in her life could have stopped her from being able to enjoy her life in this way, but her strong and positive attitude, as well as the support of her family and friends allowed her to overcome these things, and simply put; get on with it. However, this is not quite so easy for everyone, as Elise and I have witnessed first hand while spending the last 2 weeks of Nan's life in the hospital. 

Age UK supports a population of elderly people who are not as lucky as my Nan was. These people do not have the luxury of having a nice warm home,  3 meals a day and being able to support themselves financially or physically; nor the network of a loving family and friends. Elise and I are truly saddened by this and we want all people to be able to enjoy their later years and not live in fear of the next day. Although Nan did not directly benefit from this charity, I strongly believe that Nan embodied what the charity is aiming to achieve.

Age UK supports a very worthwhile cause, and I hope that you agree with us. Please donate whatever you can, no matter how little, every penny counts...

• £5 Provides an older person who is on their own with a hot meal to enjoy in the company of friends
  
• £10 Pays for a volunteer to be with an older person who would otherwise face a hospital appointment alone
  
• £15 Delivers a food hamper on Christmas Eve to the half a million older people whole will spend Christmas Day alone
  
• £20 Provides small insulation measures to an older person's house so they can stay warm and dry, come rain and shine

Thank you for taking the time to ready my story.

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