2020 has been a year like no other!! At the start of the year when setting New Years resolutions I decided running would be one of them and everytime I went to the gym I tried but it just didn’t happen I ran for five minutes and quit.. fast forward to March and coronavirus became a part of our life there were rumblings of lockdowns and closure and I thought hmmm maybe I should go outside and run just incase they close the gym!! Which they did and everything else and there starts my running story.. 

Then Coronavirus changed all of our worlds all of a sudden we couldn’t see friends, family go to work live our lives but we all got by just and now we start to see the world reopen.. however Coronavirus for some of us has changed our worlds and lives entirely. Loosing parents and grandparents is hard enough but loosing them in such quick succession in such difficult circumstances is incredibly difficult. We lost our nan and granddad, mums mum and dad Ken and Phyllis in May of 2020 they both passed away in Blackpool Victoria Hospital.  After 67 years of marriage they didn’t want to be apart!! 

As we were gripped in a global pandemic of a virus that could get anyone we were unable to see nan and gramps in their last few days but the palliative care team at the hospital were truly remarkable and we are forever grateful for all they did for us.. 

Unsure really how to say thank you in a meaningful way and realising that running has been a coping tool during lockdown and during my grief. I have made the decision to run a half marathon well attempt to anyone.. now for some it’s maybe not such a huge deal but for those of you who know me this is massive. I was someone who couldn’t run to the end of the street without having to have a rest is now going to attempt to run 13.1miles in one go.. This is where you come in I need your money by way of donations so that we can help enhance the work of the hospital and the palliative care team to ensure that families can continue to be looked after in the way that we were.. 

I also know we are still very much in a world of uncertainty and there is every chance this event will be cancelled however in agreement with the charity, myself, my brother (he’s going to cycle it with me) and anyone else might want to join in, if the event doesn’t happen on the 20 September I will still be running a half marathon on that day!!! 

Blue Skies Hospitals Fund has been raising money to enhance patient care for 25 years. As the charity for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals we support the best in patient care and medical research for the Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre area.