Challenge Series Archives - Page 12 of 12 - East Cheshire Hospice

Great Manchester Run Participants

One of the country’s most popular races included runners who put their best foot forward to raise funds for the East Cheshire Hospice.

The sponsorship pennies are still rolling in, but East Cheshire Hospice runners are expected to raise around £4500 by taking part in this year’s Simplyhealth Great Manchester Run through the streets of central Manchester.

Runners included 16-year-old Joseph Sankey from Ullswater in Macclesfield who has raised well over £1000 on his own. Joseph wanted to support the hospice for taking care of his godfather, Neil Robinson, who passed away at the Hospice in March aged 53.

Joseph, who’s currently sitting his GCSE’s at All Hallows Catholic College, finished in just over 50 minutes, coming 117th in his age group from around 30,000 runners.

“I had much more energy than I thought I would have,” says Joseph. “The atmosphere was amazing – music everywhere and crowds chanting your name.”

Joseph trained for the run in between his exam revision and says that the running may even have helped with his studies.

“I got into a routine where I studied for a bit and then cleared my mind with a run, then back to studies again,” he said.

Joseph crossed the finish line almost four minutes ahead of his father, Ian, who he persuaded to do the run with him. Mum, Lynsey, was also there to cheer him on at the finish line alongside Neil’s wife, Sarah, and daughter Rebecca.

Also a few minutes behind was 38-year-old Saxon Whittle who was part of the six-strong team from McCann Complete Medical.

Completing in a time of 54’ 55, Saxon believes the crowds played a major part in helping him get to the finish line.

“I really wanted to challenge myself and get fit enough to run a 10K but I wasn’t sure I could do it,” he says. “But the crowds just spurred us all on.”

Also running from McCann Medical were Phillip Hall, Joe Shields, Marko Benes, Jack Adams and Brian Jepson.

“Our heartfelt thanks go to everyone who pounded the streets to raise money for us,” says events assistant at the Hospice, Beth Candy, “All the services we provide at the Hospice are free, and to continue to do this we need to raise £345 per night per patient so every penny raised will go towards supporting our work.”

Damien Lacey – Marathon Man!

A Macclesfield man driven by both a professional and a personal cause, says he’s now got the “marathon bug” after completing his first 26-mile run in London.

 

Damian Lacey, 45, began running four years ago doing to “Coach to 5k” with Macclesfield Harriers and decided to tackle his first marathon to raise funds for the East Cheshire Hospice following the death of his mother-in-law, Linda Tute, last September.

 

“Linda was cared for by the Hospice @ Home team which is a truly wonderful service and had previously spent six weeks there as an in-patient in 2017 so I knew from personal experience the important work of the Hospice,” says Damian.

 

And Damian’s support for the Hospice also has a professional foundation as he encounters it regularly in his job as a specialist Macmillan nurse working in the Macclesfield area.

 

“I have seen the phenomenal palliative care they provide from both sides and really wanted to give something back,” says Damian, “although I knew a marathon was going to really stretch me.

 

But Damian, from Tytherington, knew he had made the right choice when he found out he had been successful in securing a place in the London Marathon on the day of Linda’s funeral.

 

“We were getting ready to leave when a letter dropped through the postbox telling me I had a place – I knew there was no backing out,” laughs Damian.

 

“I had a problem with my knee from mile 16 which really hampered me, and I had to stop at the medical bay and get some massage from one of the physios,” says Damian. “But I got back out. and I think Linda must have been watching me because I got to mile 24 and the pain disappeared and I was able to pick up my pace and make up a lot of time. “

The London Marathon 2019

On 28th April 2019 Catherine Mather and Damien Lacey took on the ultimate running challenge in aid of the Hospice, The London Marathon.

Damian is a Macmillan nurse and works closely with the Hospice. He also has a very personal connection with us after his mother-in-law was cared for here.

“I am  raising money for the East Cheshire Hospice. Linda stayed here for 6 weeks when she was first diagnosed and was critically ill. When it became apparent that we would be able to take her home she continued to visit the Hospice Sunflower Centre when she was well enough too, and enjoyed the support from staff and fellow patients.”

Damian started running about 4 years ago with a ‘couch to 5k’ challenge. He has come an incredibly long way and despite having a problem with his know at mile 16 which required physio, has now successfully completed the grueling 26 mile London Marathon!

In 2016 Catherine Mather suffered a badly dislocated ankle and had almost a years absence from running. But she came back with a bang by successfully finishing the marathon in aid of the Hospice!

“I felt that it was really important to support a local charity and I chose East Cheshire Hospice because of the wonderful care and support they provide. I have friends who have had family members use the Hospice and I know how important it has been for them to have such valuable and crucial support.”

Damian Lacey’s Marathon

Runner Damian Lacey has both professional and personal experience of the care offered by East Cheshire Hospice.

As a Macmillan nurse he is part of the support network which provides end-of-life palliative care for Hospice patients.

Damian’s mother-in-law Linda Tute was a recipient of that care before her death from oesophageal cancer last September, aged 75.

The family were so grateful for the way Linda was looked after that Damian is raising funds for the Hospice by competing in the London Marathon on Sunday, April 28.

It is Damian’s first marathon and when Sir Andy Murray fires the starting gun for the field of 42,000 it will complete a remarkable journey.

The Macclesfield Harrier said: “I only started running just over four years ago and it was a case of couch to 5k for me. Then I couldn’t run 10 feet never mind 10 miles.

“Linda used to joke about my figure and now she’s having the last laugh because I’m running the marathon.

“Perhaps it was fate that my application was accepted after missing out twice in the ballot, because the letter telling me I was successful arrived on the day of Linda’s funeral in October.”

Linda and husband Martin ran a grocery business in Bollington before retiring. Martin is a member of Macclesfield Male Voice Choir and a former Pott Shrigley Cricket Club player and both organisations have rallied round to support Damian, along with wife Sheona and sister-in-laws Kerry Tute and Meryl Goodwin.

Damian, from Tytherington, is part of the Macmillan Specialist Palliative Care team at Macclesfield Hospital.

He added: “We work in close collaboration with the Hospice even though we’re separate organisations. I know about the Hospice services professionally but when Linda was on the receiving end it gave me a different perspective.

“She was an inpatient and was also one of the first to access the Hospice@ Home service set up 18 months ago.”

* To sponsor Damian go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/damian-lacey

Heather Broadbent, Update

It is a good job Heather Broadbent likes meeting new friends.

She will soon be introduced to a group of strangers with whom she will spend almost a year sailing around the world.

For the moment the identity of her fellow crew members in the Clipper 2019-20 Round the World Yacht Race remains a closely-guarded secret.

Heather, a landscape gardener from Disley, is raring to go on her daring adventure aboard a 70-foot ocean racing yacht.

Incredibly, she has already raised £10,000 for East Cheshire Hospice which cared for her late husband Adam (45) who died of cancer in 2013.

It is a quarter of the way towards her fundraising target, aiming to raise one pound for each of the 40,000 nautical miles travelled on her epic voyage, starting in August.

Mum-of-two Heather said: “I can’t wait to get going and am excited about going to sea, especially after undergoing a lot of training.

“A major challenge will be spending 11 months in the same confined area with complete strangers.

“Living in tight conditions will be as much of a test as the actual sailing and the next milestone in the countdown is when the crews are allocated on May 11.”

The UK departure port has also be to announced, along with several stops on a route via South America, South Africa, Australia, China and the USA.

Heather is sure life on the ocean wave will have more far more ups than downs. The 11-strong  fleet each has a professional skipper and mate supervising amateur crews of up to 20 per boat.

Heather is one of several sailors tackling all eight legs.

She added: “I’ve had extra training, including a week on a sailing course in Gibraltar, to gain more experience and background knowledge. I wanted to be as prepared as I can be for this extreme adventure.”

Proceeds will go to the charity’s Hospice @ Home service. Supporters are invited to a preview of Heather’s trip at Pinches Medical Centre in Macclesfield on May 16.

* To support Heather and read her blogs go to eastcheshirehospice.org/heather.

Amelie’s Run

Eight-year-old Amelie Axford will be putting her best foot forward to get her fundraising journey off to a great start next month.

Amelie will be dedicating part of her family holiday in Cumbria to tackle a short but tough and hilly two-mile run in aid of East Cheshire Hospice.

The run, at Centre Parcs, was Amelie’s idea after she and her fellow pupils at Mossley Primary School in Congleton took part on the Snowman Sprint before Christmas. The sprint gave Amelie the idea to help the Macclesfield charity further and with mum, Kate and dad, Jamie, both keen runners, the sports-mad schoolgirl decided a sponsored run would be her next step.

“She was watching a video online about young people and social giving and was determined to do something for the Hospice,” says mum, Kate.

“I’m so delighted she’s taking her own initiative to raise funds for the Hospice which impacts on a lot of people in our community,” says Kate.  “My mum’s best friend, Jennifer Boulton, spent some time there before she passed away so it’s a place that is important to so many and it’s wonderful to think that Amelie recognises this too.”

And Amelie says: “It’s a fantastic cause”.

The Run Amelie Run fundraising page is here: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/amelie-axford1

Heather Broadbent’s Around the World Challenge

Landscape gardener Heather Broadbent is preparing for her ultimate adventure – sailing round the world!

The mum of two is taking to the high seas as one of the crew of a 70-foot ocean racing yacht in the Clipper 2019-20 Round the World Yacht Race.

Heather will travel 40,000 nautical miles on her epic 11-month voyage from August.

The route from England takes her via South America, South Africa, Australia, China and the USA.

Heather is raising funds for East Cheshire Hospice and hopes to raise one pound for every miletravelled.

Heather, from Disley, is supporting the Hospice after it cared for her late husband Adam (45) who died of cancer in 2013.

Heather said: “The Clipper Race is for amateurs and I’m a sailing novice. I’ve been into boats all my life but nothing like this, I’ve loved every minute out on the water since I started my formal training, although I did get horrible seasickness one night when I was disoriented.”

“I was 50 last April and realised it was my time for an adventure. It’s the most dangerous, exciting and terrifying thing I’ll have done and I’m quite nervous.”

“At first I was considering doing only one of the eight legs, just the one across the Atlantic but then decided to sign up for all of it. The hardest part will be being away from family but my two daughters are now grown up and they are both very supportive.”

“My dad Bob is a charter skipper in the Isle of Man taking wildlife and bird-watching trips and after spending his life on the water he’s looking forward to hearing about my adventure.”

Heather is trying to raise £40,000 specifically for the charity’s popular Hospice @ Home service that was set up in 2017.

Heather said: “Hospice @ Home wasn’t around when Adam was a patient at the Hospice and this amazing service would have been an enormous help caring for him. I want to raise awareness and any sponsors will be directly helping the Hospice.”

Heather and her friends have already raised £100,000 for the Hospice and The Christie from themed events.

 

* To read Heather’s blogs and support her go to eastcheshirehospice.org/heather.