A Sheffield teenager is set to run between the city’s football stadiums to raise £1,500 for Rotherham Hospice in memory of her late grandfather.
Daisy Oxley, 15, has decided to raise money for the Rotherham Hospice that took care of her late grandfather Brendan McCarthy.
She said: “They just helped him feel comfort and made him feel at peace and not feel in pain before his death.
“All the staff were really helpful, kind and polite so we knew that he was getting looked after really well.”
Her mother, Amanda Oxley, 51, praised the hospice staff that went above and beyond to accommodate for her family.
She said: “They said that they would look after my mum as well and make sure she was comfortable.
“They provided a bed for her to sleep next to my dad whilst he was going through this transitional stage of dying. That gave us great comfort to know that she was there whenever Dad needed her.
“That proved to be an invaluable time that Dad and Mum spent together and that meant a lot to my mum as well.”
Daisy said that this led to her deciding to raise money for the hospice.
She’s planning to run 5km between Bramall Lane and Hillsborough on 2nd April inspired by the fact that she comes from a football loving family.
She’s been preparing through bootcamps, weekly runs around the park with her mum and keeping up with playing football.
“Sometimes you just feel like you don’t want to do it. But just think about what the end cause is about and at the end of the day who you’re doing it for because I guess that almost drives me to do well.”
Daisy has already raised almost £1,000 and hopes to raise £1,500 altogether.
“I was quite shocked with how many people have donated because I wasn’t expecting a great deal but when I reached £1,000, I was almost took back. Because a thousand is a different level for me and I wasn’t expecting it whatsoever.
“I’m just excited to just complete it. It’ll be something that I’ll keep with me for the rest of my life.”
If you’d like to donate to Daisy’s cause, you can go on her JustGiving or GoFundMe pages.