A marathon effort for Newham hospital
We caught up with Barts Charity fundraiser Catriona ahead of her first marathon - the 2019 Virgin London Marathon.
Over two decades of fun runs
For the past two and a half decades, friends and family of Sarah Hammond have come together to honour her memory. Celebrating Sarah’s love of running, her community comes together each year to raise money for us – the charity that was close to her heart.
Sarah Hammond tragically died in 1997 at the age of 24. On the way back home from a day trip with friends to Southend, Sarah was involved in a road accident.
A woman who loved life
Sarahs’s friends and family remember her as a bright young woman who loved life, running, music and being involved in the community. Her sister Suzanne said: “Sarah was a keen club runner as a teenager, donating her sponsorship money to Barts Charity in support of a young family friend who was a leukaemia patient at St Bartholomew’s Hospital.”
Sarah and her boyfriend Andrew were also founding members of East End Road Runners, based at the Newham Leisure Centre. Now, the annual 5k run is held at the leisure centre and has become a staple in the Newham community.
A dedicated family
The Sarah Hammond Memorial Fun Run was managed by her mother, Marie, who took part in every run until she passed away. Impressively, Marie completed her last run at the age of 80. The race is now managed by Sarah’s sister, Suzanne, and her brother, Tony, with support from Andrew’s family.
They family even kept the annual fun run going even during the pandemic when the event went virtual. When the group couldn’t meet in person, videos and pictures of their sporting activities were shared on social media.
Over £90,000 raised to date
The run has raised more than £90,000 over the years. Suzanne said: “One of Sarah’s greatest pleasures was to gather people together to enjoy themselves. She would be thrilled that this event does just that, at the same time as encouraging them to run and fundraise for Barts Charity.”
A runner taking part in the 2022 fun run
Thank you for the long-term support
We are so grateful for the long-term support from Sarah’s family. Their dedication to continuing her legacy in the community has inspired so many people and has helped thousands of Barts Health NHS Trust patients over the years.
Join Sarah and her family and support Barts Health hospitals today.
