Running to remember: Liam’s story

For Liam, running has become far more than a hobby. It has brought friendship and community. Fundraising for the London Marathon became a powerful way to remember his son Patrick, while raising money for Helen & Douglas House alongside others who have their own reasons for running.

Liam’s story

Liam’s running story began long before he stood on the London Marathon start line in a Helen & Douglas House vest. What started as a weekly parkrun in Witney gradually became something much bigger: a source of friendship, routine and connection at times when life felt deeply changed. That sense of community became especially important after his teenage son, Patrick, died suddenly in January 2020. Liam had already built running into his weekly routine, but grief gave it a different meaning. Running is often seen as something solitary, yet Liam found comfort in the friendships, regular meet-ups and easy conversations that came from running with others. Those connections
became a lifeline, helping Liam feel supported in the years since Patrick’s death and after the isolation of the pandemic.

Liam said:  “It’s just a really safe way to meet people and to share stories, to learn, whether that’s about running or lots of wider things in life, really, because there’s just such a such a diverse group of people who run. And I think when we’re running sometimes people find it easier to talk.”

Running for Helen & Douglas House

Liam first ran the London Marathon for Helen & Douglas House in 2021, just after the pandemic. It was his first marathon and an unforgettable experience, combining the emotion of running in London with the pride of raising money for a charity that had supported his family. Yet it also came at a time when the full team experience still felt limited due to the restrictions of the pandemic. Liam always hoped he might return one day and experience even more of that shared
support.

That opportunity came in April 2026. After watching the marathon in 2025, Liam knew he wanted to come back, and Helen & Douglas House was his obvious first choice. This time, being part of the team was central to the experience. He loved hearing people’s different reasons for taking part and felt inspired both by fellow bereaved parents and by runners with no personal connection to the hospice who supported the charity for other reasons. For Liam, that mix of stories mattered. It created a feeling of encouragement, belonging and shared purpose.

Fundraising became another meaningful part of the journey. Liam enjoyed trying out new creative ideas and was inspired by the approaches of his teammates. Swapping ideas and cheering each other on added another social layer to the marathon experience. Fundraising also gave Liam a reason to reconnect with people he had not seen for.

Fundraising

Most importantly, fundraising for the marathon created an opportunity to talk about Patrick.

Liam said: “It does help me feel very close to Patrick because it makes him present in everything I’m doing for those four months, really, because I’m using his name. So actually being able to say his name, literally wear his name, share the pictures, introduce him to people who never knew him, being able to do that is really, really special. And I think doing it within the fundraising framework sort of legitimises what might be quite awkward in normal life… I can maybe be more open about Patrick than I than I normally could or would feel able to.”

For many bereaved families, that chance to keep their loved one’s memory present matters enormously. To speak their name, to hear others acknowledge them and to feel their life is still woven into the world can bring real comfort. Liam’s journey shows how running can be much more than exercise: it can be friendship, remembrance, purpose and a powerful way of carrying love forward.