Losing Amy was heartbreaking and we don’t want this to happen to another family

James – “Thinking about Amy in the harder moments keeps me pushing through” 

Amy was my big sister - she was two years older than me. When me and Amy were younger, we would share a bedroom, and I remember staying up and talking for ages every night. Even when she’d moved out, I would see Amy nearly every day. She was a funny person, full of humour and always laughing. She was a social butterfly and had a massive group of friends.

We saw her the night she was hospitalised with her asthma

On the night of the 19th of October 2022, Amy came around to our house to show us that Orla had just learned to crawl. She told us she was struggling with her asthma, but then she went home and she FaceTimed us later to say that she was much better. But around about midnight, Keagan, her fiancé, phoned and told me that Amy had collapsed. We were in the hospital all night, but no one could tell us what was happening.

It was two days later, 21st of October, when we received the extremely difficult news, and all the family went to the hospital to say their goodbyes.

I’m still processing what happened to Amy

I would have never anticipated that to happen to Amy - I don't think anybody in the family expected that it could happen, even though she’d been hospitalised quite a few times with her asthma. 

Even now, four years later, I'm still processing everything that happened. I think people grieve in different ways and after Amy's death, I felt like it gave me a bit more of a purpose and get up and go. I don’t think I would've run the marathons; I wouldn't have gone on all the trips I’ve gone on. I feel like it's given me a bit more of a purpose to enjoy things.

I decided to run the London Marathon for Asthma + Lung UK like our mum did

I first started running in October 2022, after my mum completed the London Marathon. So I went on maybe one or two runs and enjoyed it. But then Amy died later that month, two weeks after our mum had done her marathon. So, I didn't go running for a little while. Then, I thought I would run the London Marathon for Asthma + Lung UK like mum did, but in memory of Amy.

We’re excited to be running together as family for Amy

This is my 4th time running the London Marathon but this time I’ll be doing it with my cousins Scarlett and Naomi. We're definitely a very close family - it was a good childhood growing up with my cousins around me. I've been giving them advice because it's both their first time running the London Marathon. So I've been telling them what to expect and, what the experience involves. I think they're both excited.

It’s motivating, running together as a family and knowing that we'll be raising even more money for Asthma + Lung UK. And with the three of us running, we will be cheering each other on.

We’ll keep Amy with us every step of the way

In the harder moments, I think about Amy, and that keeps me pushing through. I'm sure she would be looking down, proud of me running the marathon. So, I'm super motivated for the marathon this year, especially with Naomi and Scarlett. And we’ll keep Amy with us every step of the way.

Naomi – “I'm doing it for her because she always fought to make people aware of how serious asthma is”

Amy was like the glue that held our family together - she'd just be there for anyone. She was a very bright person. She was very happy. And she loved being around people. I'll always remember her laugh. 

Running together as a family has helped me a lot

I’m close to my cousins, James and Scarlett who I’m running the London Marathon with. I grew closer to them since Amy passed, because I know she'd want someone there for them. It's been good running together as a family - they've helped me a lot. Because James has done it three times before, I see him as someone I'd go to for advice. Whereas Scarlett is a first timer like me, so we can share ideas and try things we haven’t done so far.

I think about Amy every time I go running

Every time I go running, I just have Amy in my mind, and it motivates me a lot. I'm doing it for her and to fight for her because she always fought to make people aware of how serious asthma is. I never took it into consideration how serious it was until Amy died. And I don't think people realise how deadly it can be for other people.

I’m going to do this for Amy and for everyone with asthma

I’m very determined to run the marathon because I've never run in my life and I've got people joking in my family about me doing it. So I'm determined to prove that I can run and to prove to myself that I can do something this big for Amy and for everyone else who's got asthma. And to spread awareness, because I'm spreading awareness whilst doing it.

Scarlett – “There's times when I want to stop, but I’m determined to do it for Amy”

She was always so funny. At any family party, she'd be the first one on the dance floor and she’d be dancing the whole time. She was just such a genuinely nice person. She was always sticking up for us, and if we ever needed a lift home, she'd be the first one to offer. She was also a great mum to Bailey and Orla, her two children.

Thinking of Amy when I’m running pushes me that little bit more

I think about Amy when I’m running. There are a few songs on the playlist that I play especially to remind me of Amy, and it just pushes me that little bit more. It's like Amy's telling me, you know, carry on, you can do it.

So, I’m doing it mainly for Amy and to spread awareness of how serious asthma can be, and also to raise as much money as we can too. I don't want this to happen to another family because it's been absolutely heartbreaking for us and we think about her every single day. Even the simple things of just walking past a park and seeing a mum with two children, you think, oh, that could have been Amy.

Amy’s not here but I’m determined to do it for her

It’s also a challenge for me and to see how far I can push myself. I bring my dog Susan with me on runs and she absolutely loves it. I’ve been struggling a little bit with my asthma on some runs so it’s quite frustrating. You know, there are times when you want to stop, but you've just got to sort of carry on and it’s a mental challenge too. 

Obviously Amy's not here, but I'm going to do this for her. And I want to make sure that we raise as much money as possible. All I'm bothered about is finishing it and raising the money for Asthma + Lung UK. And I'm more determined than ever to do it.