Nurse takes on marathon challenge for dying patients

Lucie Rudd will run the Manchester Marathon on 27 April in support of the East Kent Hospitals Charity

A Kent nurse is running a marathon to raise money for comforts for dying patients on her ward.

Lucie Rudd, a consultant nurse in charge of end-of-life care at East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, is set to run the Manchester Marathon on 27 April.

Ms Rudd said she was "running for a reason" as the patient comforts fall outside the NHS budget.

"At what is the most difficult time for people and those important to them, being able to give care that sees the person, not the patient, is a privilege," she said.

Ms Rudd is running for the East Kent Hospitals Charity, which funds environmental improvements in wards including art and wall murals as well as recliner beds for family and friends, televisions, and radios.

The charity also funds the 3 Wishes Project, which supports patients at the end of their lives.

Ms Rudd added: "Our palliative and end-of-life care wards look after people at the end of their lives and those important to them, when they are not able to be at home or outside of hospital.

"As the consultant nurse with our hospital palliative care team, I have seen first-hand the difference the team on the wards can make.

A spokesperson for the hospitals charity said Ms Rudd's fundraising work was "so important" for people in palliative care.

"We are so grateful to Lucie for fundraising for East Kent Hospitals Charity," they said.

"The work Lucie does is so important and to be able to help the palliative team support patients and their families at one of the most difficult times, we are honoured to do."