I am supporting Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care by running in the 2024 London Marathon

Hi, All

This is my story of a man who I was lucky enough to call my dad. A clever, hard working, generous, funny and loving man who was so proud of his family and was at his happiest when we were altogether laughing around a dinner table.

Adored by his 3 grandsons who he doted on and was always on hand for child care duties and school pick ups.

 Life was good for mum and dad they were very adventurous and were lucky to spend many years travelling to lots of wonderful countries making some amazing memories. We were fortunate to be able to have family holidays with them adding to all our memory banks.

Fast forward to summer of 2022 and dad started to become poorly with symptoms that warranted a kidney scan. He needed a biopsy taken of his kidney, this was taken October 2022. 

November 3rd 2022 the day we all sat in the consultants room and found out that our dad had Cancer in 4 areas the kidney, lung, stomach and chest and as we sat in shock and disbelief we were told he was already in full organ failure, our brave dad was taken straight to ICU where he stayed for a week we were told that no treatment would be available. Day 7 and dad was asked where he wanted to go, “Home” he said, his doctor explained we had to get him home now today as we had days rather than weeks. It felt like we were just living in a dream and something would happen to change it and everything would be back to normal. 

This is where my personal journey starts as Rennie Grove Peace became our palliative care team. The district nurses and the carers became our lifelines they not only cared for dad with dignity and love but they helped us to understand what was happening and supported us through the worst time.

November 23rd 2022. 20 days after we sat in that consultants room for results. We were altogether just as we always had been. Dad was 82. We are glad that he didn’t go through months of pain and suffering but we all needed him a little bit longer.

I always felt in the early days that I had to do something to honour these amazing people that come into our lives and homes when we are at the lowest we could possibly be, and to give something back to them. I needed some goals and a focus to concentrate on.

I have always been a keen gym user and spent a couple of months taking up running challenges and then setting my own of running 5k a day for a month at a time. The gym and spending a lot of time walking our cocker spaniel Alfie helped me through those early weeks. This has led me to the London Marathon 2024 and I will be honoured to run for Rennie Grove Peace Hospice and every step will be in memory of our beloved dad and grandad, I know he will be so proud just as he always was.

My only goal is Finish Line not Finish Time 

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and if you feel you could help me whether it be a small donation for this wonderful charity, words of encouragement, morale boosting quotes and any tips to get me through those 26 miles will be lovingly and greatly appreciated. 

Thank you again, lots of love ❤️

Lynsey x