Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page.

Tony and I are running the Loch Ness marathon in September and we are doing so in memory of our step-mum, Sharon. Sadly, she was diagnosed with lung cancer in February this year and died just a few months later in the Hospice of St Francis, Berkhamsted.

I knew nothing of the workings of hospices until that point, but what I saw of the way this one worked made me want to help out. Did you know that only a small percentage of their funding is through the NHS? The rest has to be obtained through fund-raising and donations.

I understand that the staff there can only work 20hrs per week because it is so harrowing, yet they plough their spare time into raising funds for the Hospice!

Every couple of weeks, swarms of volunteers turn up to keep the grounds immaculate for the rsidents.

I'll be honest, it humbled me and made Tony and I want to do something to show our gratitude for the way that they looked after Sharon, my sister and my Dad during an horrific time for them all.

So please dig deep and donate now.