Castleford mum's 300km fundraiser for Martin House children's hospice in memory of her twin daughter

For the past month Rebecca Battye, 35, has run 10km a day and raised more £3,000 for the Boston Spa hospice that became the ‘first home’ for daughter, Amelia-Grace, who died at just three days old.

Amelia-Grace, who was born minutes before her twin sister Imogen, in January this year, was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and died at Martin House having spent three days with her family, including her four-year-old sister Ella-Rose, and dad,Jonny, 36

Rebecca, who is an independent living team leader for WDH, said: “Martin House was Amelia-Grace’s first home and where we had our short, but very special, time together as a family of five.

“At times I felt guilty for what they did for us but, without the charity, we wouldn’t have had the time with Amelia-Grace that we did. She got to meet her grandparents and her big sister.”

As well as providing caring end-of-life care to Amelia-Grace and ongoing bereavement support to the whole family, the specialist children’s hospice’s in-house music and art therapists helped the Battyes to create precious keepsakes using Amelia-Grace’s hand and foot prints.

Rebecca has kept her friends, family and supporters updated with her progress through a dedicated Facebook page.

She said: “On the second day my run back took me towards a rainbow and I knew it was my little girl guiding me home.

“Every time I think about the challenge finishing, I can’t really believe it. Thank you so much to everybody. It really does mean the world and it will mean so much to Martin House.”

At the finishing line at Pontefract Racecourse on Sunday her supporters will be there to cheer her on and have organised a special celebration to mark the end of the challenge.

To boost Rebecca’s fundraising, visit: https://www.facebook.com/donate/371148344414009/