Shona takes on the Boston Marathon

Super Shona – a diabetes nurse specialist at RHCYP – is on a fundraising mission. Having done multiple sports challenges in the past to fundraise for ECHC, she is taking on a challenge in a whole new league: the Boston Marathon! 

Shona ran the London Marathon in 2022 and, after crossing the finish line exhausted, she swore she’d never do it again. But that didn’t last long! Having achieved a time which qualified her for the Boston Marathon, she applied and became one of 24,000 to successful get a place. She says, “I’ve worked on the ward for over 22 years and seen the vast majority of our patients benefit from ECHC. I see how much they love the reward boxes, and how much parents benefit from having youth workers and artists visit their children. Especially over Christmas, the whole ward lights up with all the fun activities. 

“Being in hospital is a struggle for everyone in the family, but the things the charity provides really help them. All the little extras like the comfortable seats, the crafts, the youth workers and volunteers, just having someone else to talk to – all of those things make such a difference. 

“The children’s hospital has been a huge part of my life. I’ve experienced it all firsthand as well, because one of my nieces was under the care of the hospital from age two. So ECHC is a charity very close to my heart. If I had any cause to support, this would be it.”