A BERKSHIRE woman is preparing to run the London Marathon next month to help the Reading charity that helped her mum during her final days.
Leoni Morris, a speech and language therapist from Thatcham, will take part in the 26.2 mile race in aid of Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in Tilehurst.
“I am doing this for mum and for a cause close to my heart so I know that will spur me on and get me over that finish line,” the 23-year-old said.
“Mum had multiple sclerosis which caused her to be quite disabled, but she was then also diagnosed with cancer,” explains speech and language therapist Leoni, 23, who grew up in Thatcham and now lives in London. “In 2020, the cancer sadly returned and it spread very quickly, which meant that she was given a terminal diagnosis.
“Her condition deteriorated rapidly and we were struggling to look after her at home. It wasn’t the right environment for people to come in and look after her, and we were all worried about what was going to happen and how we were going to deal with the situation.”
Leoni and her family were put in touch with the hospice and her mum, Judi, 60, was admitted to the inpatient unit for end-of-life care in November 2020.
“It was a really difficult time but the hospice was such a nice environment for mum to be in during her final week,” Leoni said. “My sister Nadia and I stayed with her the whole time, along with my mum’s dog, which meant so much to her.
“The Sue Ryder Nurses couldn’t have been more lovely and caring and they looked after mum so well but also supported us and helped us to understand what was happening.
“They helped us to say goodbye and then supported us afterwards with bereavement counselling and Sue Ryder’s Online Community.
“It never felt that we were just left by ourselves.
Leoni says it was clear that the team at Sue Ryder cared so much for her mum and wanted to support the family.
“The nurses also made us laugh a lot – which really made us feel better in such difficult circumstances,” Leoni adds. “I think the situation would have been quite different if we weren’t in a hospice.”
After their mum passed away, Leoni and her sister Nadia, 25, were inspired to give something back by taking on some fundraising challenges for Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice.
Nadia completed the London to Brighton Cycle Ride earlier this month, and Leoni is set to run the London Marathon on Sunday, October 2, to say thank you for the care their family received.
“I ran a half marathon when I was at university but this is my first full marathon, so I am quite nervous”, explained Leoni.
“I’ve been following a training plan though, and Nadia and I also did the Big Half in London on September 4, so I feel quite well prepared.
“I am doing this for mum and for a cause close to my heart so I know that will spur me on and get me over that finish line. I hope I can raise at least £2,000 for the hospice so that they can continue to help other families who need it.”
Georgia Thornton, Community Fundraiser at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice, said: “We’re so grateful to Leoni and Nadia for supporting our hospice in memory of their mum and we’d like to wish Leoni all the very best for the London Marathon in a few weeks’ time.
“Our Sue Ryder Nurses and healthcare teams have always been there for patients and families at the most difficult time of their lives. With the help from our generous supporters who fundraise for us, our teams can continue to go above and beyond, filling last days with love and helping to give families a better goodbye.”
To donate to Leoni’s fundraising page, visit: justgiving.com/fundraising/Leoni-Morris3.
For more information about Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice, visit: sueryder.org/duchessofkent
