Louis Badham is running the London Marathon on Sunday in memory of his beloved dad, who received care from Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice at the end of his life. 

Louis’s dad Martin was just 49 when he died in December 2018, only weeks after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

The care and support Martin and the rest of the family received during this tough time was what inspired Louis to tackle the 26.2-mile challenge.

“The Hospice at Home team from Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice came in to support us and the care they provided for dad was second to none,” said 31-year-old Louis, from Longlevens.

“They were so quick to get everything set up. I just couldn’t get over how patient and accommodating the team were. 

“It was obviously very frustrating for my dad because he lost his speech and struggled to communicate but the Sue Ryder nurses were so understanding.

“They always had a smile on their faces. It was so reassuring to have them around and I know it was a massive help for my mum to have them to rely on.” 

Having started running in January last year it has now become an important part of Louis’s life.

“Running is a real hobby for me now and I use it to de-stress, it just clears the mind,” he said. “I really wanted to do a marathon and decided I would like to do it to raise funds for Sue Ryder. 

“I have made friends through running too. There are about 12 of us in our local Sue Ryder London Marathon group and everybody says the same things about the great support they have had from Sue Ryder.” 

Preparing to tackle such a challenge is no mean feat and Louis explained what has kept him motivated.

“When the training gets hard – because it does get hard – I just think about what my dad had to go through and that keeps me going,” he said. 

“Dad was the life and soul of the party – him and my mum. He never took life too seriously and that’s something I have tried to take from him and carry on. There will always be difficult times, but he would just take things in his stride.”  

Looking ahead to race day Louis added: “I would like to get a good time, but I also just want to enjoy it. I have a large group of supporters made up of family, friends and work colleagues who are all behind me.

“My wife is coming down to London with me to watch the marathon and hopefully I’ll do my dad proud.” 

To support Louis, visit Louis Badham is fundraising for Sue Ryder