More than 35 people came together to walk a half marathon in Wokingham in memory of their ‘much loved and brilliant’ friend and colleague, Laura – raising £8,000 for Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in the process.
Laura de la Pascua was cared for in her final days by nurses at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in Reading. Wanting to do something to celebrate her life, her work colleagues at Dell Technologies, alongside family and friends, decided to organise the mammoth walk whilst giving back to Sue Ryder.
Sandrine Leroux-Graves from Finchamstead worked at Dell Technologies with Laura and helped to organise the walk.
She said: “When Laura moved to Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice, I had the opportunity to go and visit her a few times.
“It was my first experience of visiting a hospice and I was apprehensive, but I didn’t need to be.
“Laura was at peace and so well looked after, and I know she was so appreciative of having that space to share with her family and friends.
“After she passed away, we decided to organise a walk around where Laura lived in Wokingham.
“One spot was Simon’s Wood in Crowthorne, where she and I walked our dogs together a few times, and the Greyhound pub being the place where I first interviewed Laura for her position at Dell, and where I subsequently offered her the job.
“In total more than 35 people took part in the half marathon walk, with some additional team members joining remotely from various parts of England, but also from Scotland, Germany, Ireland, France and even Texas, doing the same distance and sharing photos with us throughout the walk.
“Laura’s husband Gerald and some of Laura’s friends joined us for the walk, giving us a great opportunity to all get together and remember our friend and colleague.
“Laura was a much loved, brilliant, and loyal team member, she was known for her strong sense of responsibility, perfectionism and above else, for her caring and supportive nature.
“This was our way to remember Laura and give back to the cause who helped her so greatly.
“We’ve raised £8,000 in total, which will be very valuable to support others in their final stage of life.
“We’re thrilled to have been able to give something back to Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in honour of our friend.”
Gerald de la Pascua, Laura’s husband, said: “I was very pleased that Sandrine and team organised such a lovely event, and grateful to her and all at Dell Technologies and her friends who joined in to raise such a good amount for Sue Ryder.
“We are very grateful for the care Sue Ryder gave to Laura in her final days.”
Jennifer Patient, community fundraising manager at Sue Ryder, said: “We are so grateful for the support from Laura’s friends, family and colleagues and the amount they raised from their incredible half marathon.
“The money raised will mean we can continue to be there to help people during the most difficult times.”
