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Thatcham woman preparing to run TCS London Marathon for Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice, in Reading




A Thatcham woman is preparing to run the TCS London Marathon in memory of her mum.

Leoni, 23, a speech and language therapist, will be taking on the 26.2 miles around London next month to raise money for the Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice, in Reading, which cared for her mum Judi during the final weeks of her life.

“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,” she said.

Leoni (right) and Nadia with their mum Judi
Leoni (right) and Nadia with their mum Judi

“Mum had multiple sclerosis which caused her to be quite disabled, but she was then also diagnosed with cancer.

“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 Reading hospice and 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.

Leoni with her sister Nadia at the Big Half event earlier this month
Leoni with her sister Nadia at the Big Half event earlier this month

“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.

“It was clear that everyone cared so much about my mum and they genuinely wanted to help our family – I know it’s what mum would have wanted. The nurses also made us laugh a lot – which really made us feel better in such difficult circumstances. I think the situation would have been quite different if we weren’t in a hospice.”

After their mum died, Leoni and her sister Nadia, 25, were inspired to give something back by taking on fundraising challenges for Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice.

Nadia completed the London to Brighton Cycle Ride on September 11 and both women did the Big Half in London on September 4.

“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 hope I can raise at least £2,000 for the hospice so that they can continue to help other families who need it."

To donate to Leoni’s fundraising page, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/Leoni-Morris3

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.”



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