My Bath Half Running Inspiration: Beth’s Story

The Bath Half Marathon returns this March, with more of our fantastic supporters taking to the streets of the iconic city to raise vital funds for Dorothy House. One of those supporters is Beth, who is running in memory of her sister, Ella.

Ella (pictured on the right) was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in 2017, which was treated with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. In 2022, just shy of being five years cancer-free, a metatastic cancer was found on her brain, and in March 2023, and she was diagnosed with leptomeningeal disease, a form of secondary cancer.

Ella’s time at Dorothy House

Ella spent just over two weeks on our Inpatient Unit at Winsley House before she died in August 2023. Beth told us more about how we supported not only Ella, but their whole family:

“Dorothy House were able to help with emotional support, pain relief, and alternative treatments such as reflexology and reiki. As a family we were also given a huge amount of support during Ella’s final days, and I felt so reassured that Ella was kept as comfortable as possible.

During this difficult time, we were allowed to stay with my sister. Staff made sure our emotional wellbeing was supported and that we looked after ourselves. They even let Ella’s favourite bird – an owl – visit her!”

Alongside our team arranging a visit from a feathered friend, Beth also spoke of the little things they did to make Ella’s stay at the Hospice so special.

“The staff went above and beyond by putting flowers in her room, giving her a massage, and holding her hand for comfort. Dorothy House is a place you hope you will never need, but the work they do is beyond incredible.”

Running for Ella

Beth is no stranger to the Bath Half, having run the 2023 race in memory of Ella, raising over £7,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Six months on, she’s lacing up her running shoes again for the 2024 race, this time to raise funds for Dorothy House Hospice Care. As a nurse herself, Beth is aware of the importance of delivering high standards of palliative care, and the fact that it can often be difficult for the NHS to meet them, due to the increasing demands on hospitals and patients having more complex needs.

“Dorothy House gave Ella gold standard palliative care, which I have always considered an essential part of my nursing role. However, with growing demands and more complex needs in hospitals, gold-standard care can sometimes be challenging for NHS wards to deliver. Hence why I believe it is so important to support the fantastic work that Dorothy House delivers.”

Bath Half Marathon 2024

Due to the pandemic, the Bath Half Marathon 2023 race took place during the latter half of the year in October. For 2024, it’s returning to its usual date of mid-March. Last year, our runners raised a record-breaking £75,000 for the Hospice, and we’re excited to see what this year brings.

If you’ve been inspired by Beth’s story, Bath Half Marathon 2024 entry is open until 7 March, with Silver Bond and Independent places still available. The Dorothy House Fundraising team will support you every step of the way, providing you with a running vest or t-shirt, as well as our Running Handbook, which is packed with top tips to help you maximise your fundraising.

Don’t forget, we have a huge selection of events and challenges happening throughout the year! It doesn’t matter if your thing is half marathons or hosting a Coffee Morning – there’s something for everyone.

Download our 2024 Fundraising Calendar to view our full list of events and let us know how you’ll be supporting hospice care in your local community!