Dorset Marathon Hikers

Our stories

Hi, my name is Marie, and my sisters name is Lisa, In April 2019 our mum suffered a severe stroke when she was only 56, this resulted in total left side paralysis and aphasia which affects her ability to communicate. The impact that this has had on us as a family has been lifechanging and has altered life as we know it, In some ways we lost the mum we knew that day and have had to quickly learn to become careers and devote much of our life to her ongoing rehabilitation and to improve her quality of life as much as we can.

Hi, my name is Danielle, on January 28th this year, our mum was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer. Our mum struggled a lot with her mental health for many years, and she was just getting herself in a good place, which made this heartbreak even greater. Chemotherapy was an option for my mum but sadly, she never made it there. On the 21st of March 2025 my mum took her last breath surrounded by her family in the beautiful Hospice of St Francis. I can’t thank them enough for the care and compassion they showed, not only to my mum but also us in her final days, and that’s why I’d love to give back to this wonderful hospice.

The Challenge

On July 26th we will head to the Jurassic coastline and hike 26.2miles starting and ending at Corfe Castle in Dorset, This is a very physical challenge made up of different terrain so it will be no easy task, We have roped in some of our closest friends and family and together as a team we will walk in aid of our mums who are such an important part of our lives.

The causes

Given stroke group.

When James Given suffered a stroke his wife Wendy Given and Kiran Driver started the Given stroke group to provide a place where survivors of stroke could meet. When James passed away, 6 months after the group began, his wife Wendy continued to run the group alongside Kiran. Given stroke group is a local community-based group, that offers social interaction, emotional support, and practical advice for people that have suffered a stroke and also those effected by stroke, When someone suffers a stroke life as they know it is no more and often many people become housebound, Unable to work or socialise, these groups provide a safe space for survivors and their families to connect with others who understand their experiences, share information, and build confidence as they adjust to life after a stroke, This group has provided a place for my mum to not only meet others effected by stroke but to build up her confidence in a place where she feels comfortable, while offering some much needed respite for my dad, This group is completely self -funded and we would love to raise some funds for them to be able to organise a day trip for the people that attend the group.

The Hospice of St Francis

Hospice of St Francis is a charity that helps 2,000 local people and their families in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire to live their precious lives well through improving symptoms, achieving personal goals and helping them to feel safe. It is a non-profit hospice care resource that was founded in 1977 and continues to meet the community need for higher levels of care, understanding, and compassion for patients nearing the end of their lives. Hospice of St Francis provides special care for people who are terminally ill, addressing their medical, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs, and also provides support to the patient’s family or caregiver.

We have chosen to support two local groups that do so much for people at the time when they need help the most, , If you can donate towards our challenge, we would be so grateful, Every little helps and makes a big difference to local causes x