Family tragedy prompts Moreton Hall runner in Bury St Edmunds to complete London Marathon for My WiSH charity at West Suffolk Hospital
A member of a Suffolk town's running group helped raise over £1,500 for charity after her mother died shortly before Christmas Day.
Caroline Hollands, 47, who is a member of the Moreton Hall Runners in Bury St Edmunds, took part in the London Marathon in October and raised £1,600 for the My WiSH Charity, with the money going towards the Butterfly Fund at West Suffolk Hospital.
Ms Hollands decided to raise the money for the hospital charity following the death of her mother, Sharon, who died aged 65, on December 21, 2017, following a stroke.
She said: “Mum just had this massive stroke and sadly died 26 hours later. It was a hell of a shock.
“I just wanted to give something back to the hospital for the care and support they gave to my mother and I ran it in her memory."
Ms Hollands, who also works part-time at Northgate Foods, in Olding Road, Bury St Edmunds, wanted to run the London Marathon three years ago but it was cancelled. At this year's event, she was disappointed with her time of five hours and eight minutes but enjoyed the occasion.
“The first half I was doing really good and in my 24 years of running I have never hit a brick wall but I did going over Tower Bridge. The second half was hard work but it was an amazing day.”
Sally Daniels, fundraising manager for My WiSH, thanked Ms Hollands for her fantastic fundraising and said: “This event was really important to Caroline as Sharon was also a runner so what better way to celebrate her than to conquer the London Marathon.
"It was a pleasure to meet Caroline and Geoff and to be able to reunite them with Sarah who looked after Sharon and the family back in 2017. We can’t thank them enough for their support”.
The donations raised by Ms Hollands will be used to enhance care for end of life patients and to support the family members.
The fund has previously bought day beds so family members can stay the night and it funds a palliative care nurse for a day a week and provides the comfort packs which contain toothbrush and paste, water, wipes and tissues, notepad and pen, mints and a chocolate, for family members so they can stay.