‘Running for Pops’
– Lee Martin takes on the London Marathon in 2025 in memory of his beloved father Jim Martin aka ‘Pops’
‘I am very proud to be on the start line of the London Marathon in 2025 for a charity so, so close to my heart – the wonderful humans that form Blythe House Hospice.’
Lee Martin from New Mills is taking on the London Marathon in 2025 in memory of his beloved Pops, Jim Martin, after their family received care and support from Blythe House Hospice after discovering that Jim’s diagnosis of Prostate Cancer spread to his bones back in 2018.
Lee explained “Just over 20 years ago, my father was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, at the very young age of 49, which shocked the whole family. On Pop’s 50th birthday, he had an operation to remove his prostate.”
“The operation was relatively successful, and for the next few years he had a variety of treatments to try and keep the cancer at bay. And for many years he was in remission. Over the last ten years the cancer crept back, thankfully very slowly, but each year the signs and symptoms increased.”
Lee shared “After the cancer spread to his bones this inevitably had an effect on his mental health, ability to work, and his mental wellbeing.” Following initial conversations with Emma Richards, a Nurse at Blythe House Hospice, Jim was able to access a range of support services from the hospice including physiotherapy, acupuncture, and peer support sessions.
“As if he didn’t have enough to contend with, unfortunately, we noticed that Pops was becoming more forgetful, sometimes confused, and (occasionally) irritable as a result. He shrugged it off as being tired like many people do, but after a while, we couldn’t escape from the signs.” Jim was sadly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2021.
Lee Martin and Jim Martin
Lee Martin running the Wilmslow Half Marathon
“Blythe House Hospice helped Dad from early on in his illness. Initially, he was reluctant to take their support, visiting a hospice is not something any of us probably relish. We all thought of it as a place for purely palliative care, but they have so much more to offer than that.”
“Terminal illness brings lots of baggage with it, but fear and anxiety are the hardest to live with day to day in lots of ways. Blythe House Hospice provided an outlet for that. It wasn’t medical care in the way we normally think about it, it was emotional support, information, understanding, and a place to unload all those fears, surrounded by people who get it. And that’s not just for the person with the illness, they also provide support and information for the family that are living it too.
As Jim’s illness worsened Blythe House Hospice helped with Jim’s priorities, to be cared for at home. Lee explained “Dad really wanted to be cared for at home, so he could spend his final time of life surrounded by his comforts. Their team, their Roaming Car service, and so much more just made the most difficult times of our lives more manageable. My Mum was Dad’s main carer, and the respite Blythe gave her made all the difference.”
“Sadly Dad passed away on Thursday 18th January 2024. He spent Christmas in hospital, but we did get him home early January, and had a Christmas day of our own. Dad made it past his 70th birthday, and for that we are very grateful. 20 years more than we thought we might get with the man we all love.”
“Blythe House Hospice allowed Dad to pass away peacefully at home with Mum and I by his side, which is more than any of us could ever ask for.”
Lee shared “This would not have been possible without the team of heroes that are Blythe House Hospice. What they have done for my family cannot be overstated. As a small, independent charity they don’t get half the attention they need, compared to larger charities, so are often overlooked. But even a small amount raised can change lives in a big way by enabling these miracle workers to support those across North Derbyshire who need them most’
“That is why I am running the London Marathon in aid of Blythe House Hospice in honour of my wonderful Pops. 26.2 miles is simply not enough (to be frank) for what they have done for us and for what Dad did for me.”
“But it’s time to give something back…”
If you’re interested in taking on a fundraising challenge in memory of someone you love please get in touch with our team at fundraising@blythehouse.co.uk
