Sarah Taylor-Howe joined us last year as one of our trustees and is Chair of our Clinical Governance Committee. All our board of trustees support us in a voluntary capacity. Sarah is a Senior Manager with Cumbria Health on Call, having previously worked for the local Primary Care Trust. Here she explains why she has chosen to enter the Great North Run and how running has changed her life.

“As a Trustee for Hospice at Home West Cumbria (HHWC) I’m extremely passionate about the vital and important services they provide, which is why I’ve entered the 2019 Great North Run to raise as much money as I can for them.

arah Taylor-Howe and CHoC colleague Davina Collins at the start of a training runI caught the running bug after completing the 2019 Run Every Day (RED) January campaign, and although it never gets any easier, being outside and active does me the world of good.  I initially started running some years ago when I joined the local ‘Run Mums’ group, and found this to be a very supportive and accessible way to get into running.

I thought I would start 2019 as I mean to go on and push myself to complete the half marathon distance. I have been talking about doing a half marathon for a few years, and being able to combine my new found love for running with my passion for Hospice services goes perfectly hand in hand! I can’t wait to get to the start line and soak up the atmosphere!

I have many personal reasons for running and raising money for Hospice, they provide a vital service for people to be cared for at home for end of life care and palliative care, and this to me is an essential choice that all people should continue to have. The Hospice provides many people and families with a lifeline for them to be supported during incredibly difficult times. I want to do something that not only raises money but also promotes the crucial Hospice service.

I originally set myself a target of £250 but I have amazingly already surpassed this total therefore my target is now £750, and I have received an amazing amount of support already. I’m currently running 20 miles a week, and I have completed a longer 10 mile training run to test my legs over a longer distance so I feel well on my way to the finish line! Let the training continue!

I have set up a Just Giving page which is simple, fast and totally secure. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

The link for my Just Giving page is: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sarah-taylor-howe

 

If you would like a place in the Great North Run 2019 to you can challenge yourself and raise funds for your local hospice at home, get in touch with our team on: 01900 873173 or email us on info@hhwc.org.uk