Running the London Marathon for the people who need our care

Shahina Haque is the Family and Individual Support Services Manager / Psychologist. Here she shares why she will be joining thousands of runners at this year’s London Marathon on Sunday 21st April.  

I ran the London Marathon back in 2013 for a charity, before marriage and children. I remember going for a run whenever I wanted to. Oh, the young free life!  

When I tell people I’m training to run for the London Marathon, I get the "are you crazy look?" followed by wonderful words of encouragement.   

Running for Saint Francis Hospice this time is a whole new challenge and meaning, both personally and from a professional sense.  

Privilege

I have the privilege of meeting people who are facing the greatest challenge of their life, and that's life itself. Diagnosed with a disease that robs of all things that are in their control.  

I was sitting with a young man in his 30s and hearing how walking was becoming less and less possible and thinking how unfair that is. When I was in my 30s, I was studying and enjoying travelling. I could not imagine making decisions on treatment and leaving a family behind.  

Someone else I support has told me how walking up the stairs is like running the marathon! He was a fit and healthy person before his diagnosis.  

I’m working with someone who has a child near to my age with a neurological condition that weakens all muscles, unable to talk or move or pick up their child.  

Sadly, I have met people with a diagnosis who have departed this world and see the immense resilience in their loved ones who now work hard to make sense of their loss.  

I can walk, run, get in my car and drive (with children or childcare in place!), I can eat, drink without aid or difficulty. I can breathe. These things I do without a thought, and I want to utilise them before I can't.  

Fundraising for compassionate care

Saint Francis Hospice depends on donations to provide its compassionate care and support services and I didn’t need to think twice before putting my name forward to run the London Marathon. I know first-hand the amazing work every team and all the volunteers do to ensure the hospice is open 24/7. All this free to those who need it.  

I will be running with our amazing hospice supporters. Some are running for their loved ones who used the hospice. Their kindness to think of us is amazing.  

I am running for all my clients present and departed. Running in their memory, the stories they shared with me, the emotions they showed to me. I am running for my two beautiful boys, to show them that if you set your mind to something, you can do it. It takes hard work and determination but it's possible. And it's fulfilling when you run for something as worthy as patient care.  

Life is so fragile, and we are here in this world but for a moment. As cliché as it sounds, we need to make the most of our loved ones, to keep things simple and not to over complicate, to stop and enjoy what we have, when and where we can.  

The hardest part for me in all of this is the fundraising. Asking for money at a time where we are all hit the hardest, is no easy feat. I know the sadness that is happening all over the world, I also know the need to keep the hospice running.  

Donations

If you can donate or know someone who is looking to donate, please share my fundraising page with them. I need to raise £2,224, and your kind heart will enable me to achieve this.  

I know it will be hard this time, I can feel it already in my running, but oh what a privilege to feel the rain and the cold and to feel aches after a 6-mile run. I run around Collier Row and around the hospice. If you see me, do say hello or feel free to stop me to find out more about the hospice. 

To make a donation, visit Shahina’s donation page.