Grieving friends run marathon to thank hospice

The five friends (L to R) Sarah, Amanda, Jecinta, Susie and Della, ran the Frankfurt Marathon in memory of loved ones who received care at Prospect Hospice

Five friends united by grief have run a marathon as a thank you to the hospice that cared for their terminally-ill relatives.

Jecinta Noble, Sarah Ireland, Amanda Evans, Della Brooker and Susie Hill, from Swindon and Poole, completed the Frankfurt Marathon on 27 October to raise £3,000 for Prospect Hospice, Swindon.

Ms Hill, 45, ran the full course, with the others completing the route in relay.

"The care my mum received in her last days was phenomenal, as well as the support given to us, her family. Nothing was too much for the Prospect team," said Ms Noble.

"We thought challenging ourselves to run a marathon was a great way to say thank you and to help other families in the same way Prospect helped us,” the 47-year-old added.

Ms Hill was the seasoned marathon runner in the team and finished in three hours and three minutes, making it a personal best.

"We're overwhelmed by the support we've received from friends and family; we can't believe we've raised so much to help the hospice continue its vital work," she said.

The runners and their support team raised £3,000 for Prospect Hospice, which cares for terminally-ill patients

Jane Farmery, from the Prospect Hospice Inpatient Unit said: “This is such an amazing achievement.

"Our specialist clinical team was honoured to care for Jecinta’s mum, Carole, at the hospice, and provide remote care for Sarah’s dad, Steve. We are so grateful we could offer support to their respective families too."

The hospice, based at Wroughton, provides free end-of-life care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It costs £8m to operate annually, with 75% coming from community donations.

The charity covers Swindon and north east Wiltshire, including Royal Wootton Bassett, Marlborough and Pewsey, as well as Lechlade and Fairford in Gloucestershire.

"This donation could enable us to provide 14 night sits so that families can rest with peace of mind that their loved one is being well cared for," added Ms Farmery.