Why I’m Running the Leicester Half Marathon for LOROS ❤️

On 11th October, I will be running the Leicester Half Marathon to raise money for LOROS Hospice.

I am not a runner. I train regularly and I’m reasonably fit, but running has never been something I’ve particularly enjoyed or been good at. The furthest I have ever run is 10km, so taking on 21.1km quite a challenge for me.

But I signed up for this for a reason that means far more to me than simply completing a half marathon.

In May/June my beautiful Auntie Deb was cared for at LOROS.

Deb always reminded us to ‘do the things.’❤️

So that is exactly what I am trying to do.

Getting Deb into LOROS was incredibly difficult. We experienced first-hand how difficult it was to find an available bed when she needed one. When we eventually got there, we realised that the issue wasn’t simply a lack of physical beds - it was a lack of funding to have all of those beds open and staffed.

LOROS currently has 31 inpatient beds, but not all of them can be opened because of funding. LOROS says that reopening all of its beds could mean being able to care for around 156 additional patients every year.

This stayed with me.

Because behind every bed is a person. A family. Someone’s mum, dad, partner, sister, brother, auntie, uncle or grandparent.

When Deb was in hospital, our family couldn’t stay with her around the clock, (not without a fight). But when she moved to LOROS, everything felt different. We were able to stay overnight and be with her 24/7. We could be together as a family and spend those precious final moments with her without the restrictions we had experienced in hospital.

LOROS gave us something that was incredibly important during one of the most difficult times of our lives- time together.

LOROS provides its care completely free of charge to patients and their families, but it relies heavily on charitable donations to make this possible. The hospice currently needs to raise more than £9 million every year, and it costs around £560 to run one inpatient bed for a day, including overheads.

I want to help change that.

I want to help LOROS be there for other families when they need it most.

I want other families to have the opportunity to spend time together, to be comfortable, to have support and to make memories during what can be the most difficult time of their lives.

So, on 11th October, I will be putting myself through 21.1km.

Every time I struggle, I will remind myself why I started. I will think of Deb, hear her voice telling me to ‘do the things’ and ‘just keep swimming’. ❤️

I am doing this for Deb.

For the families who need LOROS.

For the people who deserve access to specialist care when they need it most.

And for every family who should be able to spend those final moments together with the people they love.

If you are able to donate, any amount, no matter how small, would mean so much to me and will help LOROS continue providing the care, comfort and support that families desperately need.

Please donate, share my page, or simply cheer me on from the sidelines.

I know 21.1km isn’t the biggest challenge in the world, and for some of you it might be something you casually go and do on an average Sunday morning!

But for someone who isn’t a runner, it is going to be a little tricky. 😂

So, if nothing else, let this be an excuse for this page to pop up on your screens.

Donate to a cause that is genuinely so worthwhile. Do something good. Help a family who may one day find themselves in the position that ours did.

And I will happily put myself through it if it means helping another family have the kind of support that LOROS gave ours.

For Deb.

‘Do the things.’ ❤️