Death and grief are two things that everyone will eventually face. But these are mostly ignored, as there’s never enough preparation we can do to confront it.

I will be running the London Marathon in 2025 to raise money for Sue Ryder, a remarkable charity focused on those approaching the end of life or suffering from grief. I'll be running in memory of my Grandad, David Pratt, and my Uncle, Danny Lunn.

What I loved about my Grandad and Uncle was their constant optimism, always seeing the light and laughter in every little thing. The sudden loss was devastating for myself and my family. I kept finding myself confused and angry, asking repeatedly “why did this happen?”. But as I learned through spending time with my family and finding support through Sue Ryder’s online Grief Guide, we can’t control it. The only thing we can control is how we react and move forward.

Sue Ryder is here to make sure everyone approaching the end of their life or living with grief can access the support they need. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to how we cope and the help we need, but with Sue Ryder's support, no one has to face dying or grief alone.

From 2022-23, Sue Ryder has cared for over 8700 people in their hospices and homes, had over 160000 visitors to their online bereavement community, opened more than 10 in-person support groups for grieving people, and given over 4700 hours of online bereavement counselling sessions.

This will be a tough and exciting journey, and I hope you can support me along the way.