Virgin Money London Marathon 2018

22 April 2018

London

Please support our wonderful LONDON MARATHON 2018 runner!

Adelle Brenner is running this iconic race on 22 April to raise funds for The Compassionate Friends.

Adelle writes…”You may be wondering why I have set myself this challenge of running 26.2 miles through the streets of London in April. It's clear to those who know me that I am not a natural athlete. I was one of the last to be picked for sports teams at school and I certainly have no natural sporting talent. However, what I lack in ability I hope to make up for in sheer grit and determination,- qualities I have had to develop since our beloved daughter Celia died in 2011 and which I believe I share with all other parents who have live with the pain of losing a child.

Celia died aged three and a half when she fell from a high rise building where we were living in Singapore and where my husband was working.

I joined The Compassionate Friends and they were a lifeline to me over the coming months and years. In my darkest hours I called their helpline and spoke to other bereaved parents knowing they understood how I was feeling. Often I had nothing specific to say, just an unbearable sadness which somehow became more bearable by being shared. At other times I may have been upset by something hurtful that a someone had unwittingly said or done or by the approach of Christmas or a birthday. Talking to others who truly understand cannot solve these things but does make the burden less heavy.

I am happy to say that I am now the local Compassionate Friends contact for the Bath area. Where I have been helped I am now able to help others. I run a monthly support group at my home where we meet to talk, support one another and share our experience. There are tears but also laughter and the bond we share is an enormous source of strength and comfort for all of us.

Grieving the loss of a child is a very isolating experience. However well intentioned, our friends and family cannot fully understand how we feel and nor would we want them to. The motto of The Compassionate Friends is "We need not walk alone."

You can read more of Adelle's story and support her here: www.uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AdelleBrenner