A seasoned runner is training hard for the 2015 Virgin Money London Marathon with high hopes of raising over £5,000 for St Richard’s Hospice.
Jane Evans, aged 37 from Solihull, a member of Knowle & Dorridge Running Club, is no stranger to competitive running having competed internationally in the past, albeit at shorter distances. She will be joining 11 other runners supporting St Richard’s Hospice at this year’s London Marathon on 26th April and will be running in memory of her father Nick Groves, who was cared for by the Worcestershire hospice before his death in December 2014.
Nick Groves, worked as a teacher in Cheshire before moving to Droitwich during his illness to be near his family. He was a keen dinghy sailor who took up the sport during family holidays in North Wales where he had holidayed each year from the age of 10.
Mrs Evans, who will start the London Marathon from the Elite Women start line, is half way through a gruelling 18 week training programme and is aiming to completing the course in less than three hours.
Mrs Evans said; “Running is my ‘thing’ and I decided last year that I wanted to do something positive to support Dad as we anticipated he would be cared for by St Richard’s Hospice at some point in the future. I’ve never run a marathon before but this would be a huge accomplishment to tick off a list of any life achievements. Dad had a few reservations about me taking on too much in terms of the training required but I had his blessing!
“As it happens the care at St Richard’s commenced sooner than we had hoped and in December 2014, not just Dad but the whole family were cared for by the staff at this amazing hospice before he died. I am so pleased I have my place in the London Marathon to run for the hospice and hopefully raise a good chunk of cash to ensure other families are able to be looked after and treated with the compassion and respect that we, and most importantly, Dad experienced. He personally thanked the staff who had been looking after him in his last few days and I know he would be delighted if we are now able to repay them with something tangible.”
To donate to Jane’s fund visit www.justgiving.com/JaneEEvans-neeGroves
St Richard’s Hospice provides free specialist palliative care for patients living with life-threatening illnesses and supports their families. Each year the hospice team supports over 2,500 patients and family members in Worcestershire with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
Patients are cared for in Day Hospice, the 17-bed In-patient Unit or in their own homes by a specialist professional team as well as many trained volunteers.
In the In-patient Unit, specialist staff are on hand 24 hours a day to manage patients’ symptoms and where, if appropriate, patients may spend the last few days of life in comfort and dignity. St Richard’s is an independent charity and is grateful for all donations to help it to continue its work.