For Sarah Ellis, taking on the York 10K was about much more than completing a running challenge. It was a chance to remember her friend Helen, who was cared for at our Hospice, while raising money to support the care that meant so much to her.
Sarah received a lovely surprise the evening before the race when her friend turned up to tell her she would be joining her for the run. Alongside Sarah, both her sister and friend wore yellow tops in honour of Helen, making their tribute even more special.
Despite never thinking she had a full 10K in her, Sarah ran the entire course alongside her sister and her friend Gemma. The route took them through York, with the atmosphere and support from fellow runners helping to keep them going, including plenty of high fives along the way.
As they approached the finish line, Sarah, her sister and Gemma pushed through the final stretch together, crossing the line hand in hand. Sarah had the song that reminds her of Helen playing in her ears to help her through those final moments.
Sarah said:
It’s been a pleasure to do this in support of the Hospice and such a worthy cause, but also a great focus for me since Helen left us, but she was very much with me the whole 10K.
Sarah has been overwhelmed by the support she has received, with an incredible £2,300 raised for our Hospice.
The challenge has given Sarah a way to honour Helen’s memory while helping other patients and families receive the care and support they need. Sarah also hopes that sharing her story will inspire others to find their own ways to support the Hospice.
Sarah said: “I truly hope it helps to encourage and empower others to come up with ways to fundraise for the Hospice.”
We would like to say a huge thank you to Sarah, her sister and Gemma for taking on the challenge and supporting the Hospice in such a meaningful way.
Find out more about how your fundraising can support our Hospice:
