Hospice nurse Lauren pounds the pavement for Francis House

During the lockdown, Lauren, from Oldham, started running to get fit, gradually increasing the distance that she could run non-stop.

“I never ever thought that I could run. When I started the couch to 5k I couldn’t even run 60 seconds without getting a stitch and becoming out of breath, I was so unfit. As I increased the amount of time that I spent running I thought why not attempt fifty 5k runs in August.

“I wanted to raise funds for Francis House as I know first-hand how dedicated and hard-working all the staff are, and how grateful the families are for all that we are doing during this difficult time,” said Lauren.

Lauren joined the Francis House hospice team in September 2018 after working on a general Paediatric ward in Oldham. She qualified at the University of Salford in 2015 and gained a BSc degree with honours in Children’s and Young People’s Nursing.

A caring team

She said: “The team are so unbelievably supportive at Francis House and we genuinely care for each other as well as the children and families. We all share a passion to make a difference to these families and provide an outstanding service whenever we can.

“We have challenging and uncertain times at the moment, but we have all pulled together to ensure that the children and their families are at the forefront of all we do, and for that, we are so lucky.

“We have had to adapt how we care for the children, but we have so much fun with them and every day brings something new.”

Lauren juggles her running around shift pattens and when fiancé Chris is at home to look after their two children.

“I feel great once I have run, and I always remember however tough it feels, it’s nothing compared to what the children, young people and their families are going through.”

Wedding plans

In May, like many other couples, Lauren and Chris made the disappointing decision to postpone their wedding because of the coronavirus lockdown.

Lauren said: “We both felt absolutely gutted to cancel our wedding that we had planned for two years. We have been together for 14 years and have two beautiful children so getting married would complete our family. However, we totally understood why we had to postpone our big day.”

The couple now have their fingers crossed with a new wedding date set for May 14, 2021.