Wirral Hospice St John’s esteemed palliative care consultant, Dr Richard Latten, is going to run the 2021 Virgin Money London Marathon to raise funds for our local adult hospice.
You may have already seen him, from time-to-time, running around some of Wirral’s most famous, and some not-so-famous, landmarks, preparing hard for the gruelling 26-miler which is taking place once again on Sunday October 3rd, 2021.
There was a hiatus for London’s 2020 marathon as thousands of entrants were redirected and encouraged, under coronavirus regulations, to complete their challenges closer to home and without the cheers of the traditional crowds to keep them going.
For Richard, this year’s race will see him reach another milestone, actually 26 of them, in his own personal journey. Running has only really become a part of his regular exercise over the last couple of years.
Back in 2019 he joined some of his Wirral Hospice St John’s colleagues in the Birkenhead ParkRun, a free weekly 5k fun run around Birkenhead Park for people of all abilities. Now, from having to stop every few hundred yards for a breath and a walk, he’s confident he’ll finish the marathon, even if it’s not in a world record time!
Richard explained,
“Before a couple of years ago, I wouldn’t have stood a chance of completing a marathon. Back in 2019 I was finding things really tough with the challenges that work in our field can sometimes bring to the surface while also dealing with a bereavement a few years before which had had an emotional impact on my own family.
Joining some of my hospice colleagues, friends and family, in running in our local Parkrun was the turning point in getting myself back on track.
Since that pivotal moment, my running and my mind have improved in parallel. From staggering round that first 5km in Birkenhead Park, I’ve gradually increased my running distance, doing hospice events, the ‘Mucky Mudder 5K’ in 2019 and then ‘Race around the Wirral’ with some colleagues and friends during last year’s lockdown.
The hospice is close to my heart for many reasons. It’s a privilege to work alongside some really wonderful colleagues, all focused on providing the best possible care and support for patients and their families who are going through their own challenging circumstances.
As a charity, the hospice can only continue to provide its vital services to patients and their families through the kind generosity of our whole Wirral community.
I’m so grateful for the opportunity to run the London Marathon for the hospice and hopefully raise some vital funds. I’m looking forward to proudly wearing my hospice t-shirt running around the streets of London.”
Look out for him around the peninsula between now and October and give him a sporting cheer. And, if he can’t be there in person you may also see his ‘life-size’ cut out at various hospice events at other places over the summer.
He’s a busy man but everyone who meets him, through work or otherwise, will bear witness to one of life’s genuinely ‘good guys.’
Now, in just over 3 months’ time, Dr Richard is adding a marathon fundraiser to his ‘to do’ list in 2021, we’re sure everyone in Wirral will be wishing him all the very best.
Go for it, Dr Richard!
If you’d like to support Richard’s Virgin Money London Marathon effort with a kind donation to Wirral Hospice St John’s please go to his fundraising page at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Richards_London_Marathon or call fundraising on 0151-343-0778 if you’d like to donate to Richard’s effort in another way
