A bereaved mum felt “proud and astonished” after completing a poignant charity run and raising nearly £2,500 for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).
Kelly Munden, from Terrington St Clement, was joined by friends, colleagues and cousins at the Recipharm Grand East Anglian Run (GEAR), in King’s Lynn.
She was among thousands of people taking on the popular ten-kilometre event, on 5th May.
Kelly had a special reason for signing up as she was doing it in memory of daughter Annabel, who would have celebrated her tenth birthday in August.
She had a genetic condition called Cockayne Syndrome or CS – a rare and
life-threatening condition passed on through a faulty gene from both parents – and died in hospital in June 2020. She was just five.
Kelly and husband Gary were transferred to The Nook – EACH’s hospice just outside Norwich – so they could spend precious time together before returning home. They received bereavement support, which they described as “invaluable”.
Kelly and Co. decided to take on the run as a way of giving something back and she said: “It was a beautiful day and such a wonderful atmosphere.
“I’m not a runner – I’ve never done anything like this before in my life – so it was a big deal for me and I had to do lots of training.
“Myself and my friends walked, jogged and sprinted to the finish line and ended up with a time of one hour and 36 minutes.
“It was a real experience and lovely to see others proudly wearing EACH t-shirts.
“To raise as much as we have is truly incredible and I know there’s still more to come.
“I’ve been astonished by how kind and generous people are and I’m so pleased and proud to have supported such an awesome charity.”
Annabel had a number of complex care needs. She was tube-fed and suffered from severe reflux, for which she needed medication three times a day.
She had hearing loss in both ears, cataracts in both eyes and recurring chest infections which required regular antibiotics, steroids and inhalers.
These became more and more frequent, needing daily, sometimes hourly medication and a home suction machine to keep Annabel comfortable.
Among those to complete the run with Kelly was her friend Sarah, whose daughter, Freya, was best friends with Annabel.
“I remember us saying one day, maybe five years ago, that we’d run the GEAR event in memory of Annabel,” said Kelly.
“That was before she passed away and this year seemed a fitting time to stay true to our word, as Annabel would have been ten in August.
“When I was little, turning ten was a big deal as it’s double figures, so it was the perfect time to do this run.”
Kelly said both her and husband Gary will always feel indebted to EACH.
“Without having counselling, I think we probably would have sat in our house and locked the world away,” she said.
“We’d never have done anything again so were thankful to have the help and support of our counsellor. She was invaluable.”
To show your support and sponsor Kelly, head here.
