Man touched by Hackney hospice’s care of his dying sister organises Victoria Park fund-raising run

A man was so overwhelmed by the way staff and volunteers at St Joseph’s Hospice cared for his dying sister, he has organised a charity run to raise money for the Hackney hospice.

David Jardine-Wilkinson’s sister Grace, who also lived in Hackney, died last year in the Mare Street hospice, aged 47, following a long illness.

Mr Jardine-Wilkinson, who often visited his sister while she was an inpatient, has organised The Celebration of Life Run, which will take place in Victoria Park on Sunday April 6.

“Grace was at St Joseph’s for quite a long time and I just couldn’t help but notice the fantastic job the nurses and doctors do,” said Mr Jardine-Wilkinson, a project manager for a construction company.

“The amount of volunteers who give up the most precious thing in life, their time, is absolutely breathtaking.”

The 45-year old who lives in Homerton hopes up to 150 people will raise more than £5,000 for St Joseph’s by running three circuits of the park on the six mile course, or by walking one circuit, which is the equivalent of two miles.

Every participant will be able to wear the name of the person whose life they want to remember on their shirt.

For more details see www.celebrationofliferun.com.