My mum, Devorah Burns, passed away on 27 April 2025 at the age of 73 after battling cancer for many years. Whilst we, as a family, knew that one day the end would come, it doesn’t stop you from missing that person immeasurably, being starkly aware of the times that can no longer be had, and feeling their absence as a mother, a wife, grandmother, aunt and dear friend.

The 27th April was also the day of the 2025 London Marathon. It felt like a sign – I wanted to run in 2026 to mark her memory a year on.

In the final weeks, we were fortunate to receive support for mum from Princess Alice Hospice. The charity did everything they could to make mum as comfortable as possible, 7 days a week: providing medication, visiting regularly to provide care, calling to support our family and sourcing furniture so mum's final days could be spent at home with a view of garden. My family were overawed by their support, kindness and patience. I’m lucky to be able to try to pay that back by raising money to ensure others approaching the end of their life can do so with the care that is needed.

Throughout her illness, and especially towards the end, mum was unbelievably stoic. She never complained of unfairness, she didn’t want to worry anyone about her discomfort, and she was forever thinking of others. She would offer tea to the hospice workers who came to visit and would ask about their day. She even pressed us to make sure the food at her own funeral accounted for different catering needs! I am looking to emulate that on my journey towards those 26.2 miles in April: no complaints, only positive thinking.

Thank you for visiting this page and reading this. If you’d like to donate – that would be appreciated by myself, my family, and the many thousands of people the Princess Alice Hospice team care for. Hospice care in the UK costs around £1.8bn annually, of which over 70% is funded by donations.

I love you mum. I am doing this for you, and for me, and will enjoy reflecting on the best of our times together as I put one foot in front of the other.