Woman doing race for hospice that helped husband

A woman is taking part in a 120km (75-mile) race over four days through the deserts of Jordan for a hospice that helped care for her husband.

Charlotte Rochenard-Taylor, from Warwick, said running became a way for her to cope with grief, after Jamie died from a brain tumour in June last year.

She is participating in the Marathon des Sables to raise money for Myton Hospice, which has sites in Coventry, Warwick and Rugby.

Ms Rochenard-Taylor said it was "just a way to keep alive, if that makes sense, getting again out of my comfort zone to just feel like fully alive".

One of her husband's last wishes was to die at home, stated the runner, who made it her "mission for this to happen".

She added: "Thanks to the Myton Hospice, the at-home team... that was made possible."

Her husband was a regular runner, and she ran with him "now and again".

She added: "I've always been active, but never done that much running before.

"I [found] that running actually became for me a way to cope with the grief, just to get out there and just get the rage out and just... mental wellbeing really.

"I thought 'well, it's gonna be a year of training' and that was my focus, this has been my focus for the whole year."

Ms Rochenard-Taylor, who broke her pelvis a few years ago, said the charity was close to her heart, and the race starting on Tuesday was an ideal way to support it.

"I thought running in a more difficult environment, if you like, was a good idea to... just make something more [challenging] and get the word out for many reasons."

The runner said palliative care treatment was just as important as "the treatment for the tumour in the first place".

"It just became so important for the quality of life.... just dying in dignity really, just being able to be at home, be with me, just [the] two of us.

"It has no price really and the Myton Hospice, the people... I can just remember the kindness, the smile [they offered] when they came round."

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