Berkshire woman runs London marathon in memory of her cousin
Kerry is raising money for her local hospice
A 38-year-old woman from Thatcham is running the TCS London Marathon on Sunday for national healthcare charity Sue Ryder, which cared for her cousin in his final days in July 2022.
Kerry Palmer’s younger cousin Steve was cared for at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in Reading for nine weeks, after being diagnosed with incurable oesophagus cancer when he was just 35.
Kerry said:
“The hospice was amazing in every single way. They allowed us to be a family to Steve, and not his carers. Even though it was the worst time of our lives, the staff made it that little bit more bearable, and we were able to laugh and make so many memories with him in those final weeks.
“They let us use Steve’s room as our home, and constantly made sure we were all okay. Nothing was ever too much for them. They loved having a joke with Steve. Some of the nurses were as sad as us when he passed away!”
Kerry shares that her experience with her cousin’s illness has opened her eyes to the importance of hospice care.
“I’d never been in a hospice before, but having seen anything Steve went through, I feel that people don’t realise how important they are. People are shocked that they are so underfunded.
"Where I live in Thatcham, Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice is the hospice that anyone I know would go to if they needed end-of-life care. If it wasn’t for the hospice, Steve wouldn’t have had anywhere near the quality of life he did towards the end. He never would have been able to get outside in the garden, which he loved to do right up until the very last days. Anyone would want the same for their loved one.”
Despite not having run a marathon before, Kerry is feeling confident ahead of the big day.
“My training has been going really well – though I’ve got three children, so it’s been tough to fit it all in!
“My running has helped me process everything that happened to Steve. It’s given me something to work towards – although because I’ve struggled with injuries in the past, he said to me before he passed away, ‘don’t you dare do any runs for me!’
“I will never be able to thank Sue Ryder enough for their endless support at such a challenging time. As long as I am still able to fundraise for them, I will do everything I can to raise as much money as possible.”
Kerry has currently raised over £1,100 for Sue Ryder. To donate to her fundraising page, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Kerry-Palmer10.
For more information about Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice, visit: sueryder.org/duchessofkent.
If you’re inspired by Kerry’s story, and would like to run the London Marathon for Sue Ryder in 2024, visit: sueryder.org/londonmarathon.