This year in April I am running the London Landmarks Half Marathon for The Compassionate Friends.

On 6th April 2025 my world changed forever when my youngest son, Matthew, passed away suddenly in his sleep from an undiagnosed inherited heart condition.

He was 27.

Nothing prepares you for the loss of your child.

The grief is isolating, overwhelming, and relentless.

In my darkest moments, when words feel impossible and days feel unbearable, The Compassionate Friends are there for me.

They offer compassion and understanding without explanation, as only a bereaved parent sadly can.

Through supportive walks, gentle companionship, and one-to-one bereavement support, the Compassionate Friends are walking beside me and teaching me how to live and grow with my grief.

They understand that I cannot be fixed and they simply show up when I need them — with compassion, patience, and the quiet knowledge that only other bereaved parents truly have.

To say thank you, and to help me as I approach the one year anniversary of Matthew’s passing, I have decided to run the London Landmarks Half Marathon.

I will be undertaking this run with my friends’ Miriam and Sacha’s daughter Natasha who is also running for Matthew and The Compassionate Friends.

Every mile I run will be for Matthew. Every step is a tribute to him, the person he was and to the charity that is helping me navigate a world without my youngest son.

By supporting me you are helping The Compassionate Friends continue their vital work — ensuring that no parent has to face the loss of a child alone.

Your donation will help fund peer to peer support, bereavement services, and safe spaces where parents and siblings can be held with care, love and most importantly true understanding.

If you’re able to donate, share, or simply keep me in your thoughts today and everyday, our family will be so grateful.

Thank you for always remembering Matthew with me, please remember to always speak his name and thank you for helping other families find compassion, connection, and hope in the midst of the most relentless and unbearable grief.

With heartfelt thanks,

Colin