Cheltenham mum to run London Marathon then 100 miles home in memory of friend cared for at Sue Ryder

Southsea

A Cheltenham mum is preparing to run the TCS London Marathon before setting off on a 100 mile run back to Gloucestershire in memory of her friend, who died at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice just days after last year’s race.

Jane Shorting, 53, and her husband Mark, 62, will complete the marathon on Sunday 26 April before Jane begins a three day journey from the finish line back to Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice the following morning. It is a challenge Jane promised her friend, Leigh, before she died.

Leigh, a mum of 15 year old triplets and wife to Simon, died aged 58 after living with triple negative breast cancer for five years.

Jane and Leigh met nine years ago when Jane moved two doors down. “Our girls became best friends at school and from that moment on we were solid friends,” Jane says. “Leigh made everyone feel welcome. Her door was always open to everyone. She was kind, funny, sharp tongued in the best way, and she had this incredible ability to sort people out and lift them up. She was a force of nature – a one off.”

When Leigh’s illness progressed, she was admitted to Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice just before last year’s marathon.

“The nurses had so much time for her and the family,” Jane says. “They made her feel safe, comfortable, not frightened, and special. The girls could visit whenever they wanted. It made her last days feel normal for them, as much as they could be. And it enabled Simon to spend precious time with her. That is priceless.

“Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice is calm and gentle. You walk in and you feel like everyone has time for you, no matter what they are doing.”

Mark also has a personal connection to the hospice, inspiring him to lace up his trainers for Sue Ryder once again. “Sue Ryder has been a part of our lives for many years before Leigh died,” he says. “My younger brother passed away from cancer five years ago and was cared for by Sue Ryder Nurses. And my mum died at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice – she wanted to be there and felt lucky and privileged she was able to. The team made a difficult time a lot easier.”

Jane ran the 2025 London Marathon in fancy dress as Buzz Lightyear, FaceTiming Leigh along the route. “I cried a lot of the way,” she says. “It was extremely emotional.”

Jane will run roughly 34 miles a day from London to Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice in Cheltenham, supported by Mark and friends who will join her for sections of the route.

The pair expect strong support from the Cheltenham community, with local schools already planning to join Jane for the final stretch up the drive to the hospice, including Leigh’s daughters. “I would love a hundred people behind me for the last mile,” Jane says. “One hundred miles, one hundred people, one hundred thousand pounds raised for Sue Ryder!

“Running the London Marathon itself will be emotional – London is like nothing else,” she adds. “People shout your name, you get selfies with kids, and when you turn the corner at Big Ben there is no feeling like it as you start the run down towards the Mall with the crowds screaming. But this year will be different. I will be thinking about Leigh the whole way.”

Jane and Mark have raised more than £200,000 for Sue Ryder over the years and hope to raise another £100,000 this year alone, with Jane also taking on the Chicago and Berlin Marathon for Sue Ryder in 2026. “Cheltenham loves Sue Ryder,” Jane says. “Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice is the jewel of the town.”
Asked what she thinks Leigh would make of her challenge, Jane says: “She would think it was absolutely amazing. She was brilliant, and this is all for her.”

You can donate to Jane and Mark’s fundraising challenge by visiting: https://www.justgiving.com/page/janeandmark2026

Want to join #TeamSueRyder in the TCS London Marathon 2027? Search ‘Sue Ryder London Marathon’ and keep an eye out for when you can register for next year.

 

More details about Cheltenham mum to run London Marathon then 100 miles home in memory of friend cared for at Sue Ryder (External Link)

 

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