Published on: Tuesday 01 Dec 2015 at 15:23
Cathy Turner spent her final days at the Hospice about a month before Christmas 2013 and now her children Archie, 12, and Henry, 10, have decided to raise money for our charity so other families can benefit from the skilled and compassionate care their mother received before she lost her battle with colon cancer aged 44.
The boys will be joined at the sponsored event on Sunday, December 13 by their cousins Max and Daisy Harrison, from Epping Upland, while two more cousins, Charlie and Millie Croad, will be doing their own version of the Festive Fun Run where they live in Ibiza.
So far the family have raised more than £2,300 in sponsorship to help fund the specialist care and support St Clare provides to people facing a life-limiting or terminal illness, and their loved ones. This is in addition to the £3,000 the family gave to the Hospice after Cathy died after requesting donations in lieu of flowers at her funeral.
Archie, who is a pupil at Davenant Foundation School in Loughton, said: “When I heard about the Festive Fun Run for St Clare I thought it was a really good idea and we would like to raise as much money as we can. We’ve been telling all our family and friends about what we are doing and had raised almost £1,500 in the first 24 hours of setting up our sponsorship page!
“We are really looking forward to the day and I think it’s more motivating, and more fun, when your friends and family are doing it with you. I’m really proud to be doing something for my Mum, and raising money for the charity that helped her.”
Archie and Henry’s auntie Susy Harrison said: “We are incredibly proud of all the children for wanting to do this in Cathy’s memory. She spent 10 days at the Hospice and the care she received far exceeded all our expectations, allowing her to spend her final days in comfort, with her family around her in peaceful and relaxed surroundings.
“As a mum with young children, you never want to find yourself having to face that situation, but we feel very strongly as a family that Cathy was in the right place, and St Clare made a very difficult time easier for us all. The care and support we all received was exceptional and should be available to every family, which is why we want to support the Hospice by raising funds in Cathy’s memory so the next person who needs St Clare’s help and support can receive the same outstanding level of care that was given to us.”
You can register for our Festive Fun Run, which is sponsored by Insight Private Finance and taking place at the Water Gardens in Harlow, here.
Runners can also register on the day from 8.15am. The route is suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs, and dogs are welcome.