THE RUNNING MANAGER

How are you spending the Bank Holiday weekend? Leigh Williams, Dispensing Optician and Lutterworth Practice Manager at Edmonds & Slatter Opticians will be running his second ever half marathon, The Great Birmingham Run 2022.

Leigh will be running in memory of his father-in-law, affectionately known as Pappy, who passed away recently from cancer. He is raising funds for Marie Cure, whose nurses supported and cared for them all during Pappy’s last few days.

Due to Covid restrictions both Leigh and his wife were exhausted both mentally and physically providing 24 hour care for Pappy alongside the district nurses and palliative care team. The Marie Cure nurses teams were also struggling to step in with assistance, as due to a lack of fundraising during the pandemic there were only three nurses available for Leicestershire and Rutland. The family was lucky to get a Marie Cure nurse for the final days of care. The nurse stayed with them after Pappy had passed, helping them notify the relevant authorities and talking them through the initial shock and sadness of the bereavement. When asked about choosing to run for Marie Cure, Leigh commented “Nothing was too much trouble for them. For those do not have a support network, Marie Curie nurses are literally angels, and I wanted to give something back for the priceless gift we had, in the hope that someone else who needs an angel gets one.”

Leigh is hoping for a personal best, with fingers crossed as the Birmingham course is a tough one and the team at Edmonds and Slatter wish him all the best! If you would like to donate to Marie Cure, Leigh’s sponsorship link is www.justgiving.com/fundraising/leigh-williams90

Amy Coleburne

Edmonds & Slatter Opticians

amycoleburne@edmondsandslatter.co.uk