A mother-of-three from Neath is taking on ten 10Ks this year to raise money in memory of her parents.
She’s set herself the challenge to mark the 10-year anniversary of their deaths, after they both sadly lost their battles to cancer in 2016.
Sarah Allen, 37, said her mum, Celia who was just 53, and dad, Stephen who was only 61, were both cared for at Tŷ Olwen Hospice, a specialist palliative care unit, when they were at the end of their lives.
She now wants to raise as much money as she can by running ten 10Ks in 2026 ‘as a thank you for the hospice’s hard work and dedication’.
Sarah, who is an operations manager at a children’s home, said: “I’m running one 10K for every year since my parents have passed away. I’ve been wanting to raise money for Tŷ Olwen for a while and the 10-year anniversary seemed like a good chance to do it.”
Her sister, Stephanie, and brother, Paul, are also taking on their own challenges to raise money this year too.
Their father was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2014 and the following year, their mother was then also found to have the disease.
Sarah said: “With my dad they sadly caught his cancer too late. He had chemo to prolong his life and battled for a while. Mum was then diagnosed in October 2015 and was riddled with it. She passed away in January 2016 and dad followed in the August.
“To add to the chaos, I had a baby that year too. Sadly, my daughter never got to meet my mother, but she did get to briefly meet my father. It was a very stressful time but having my baby that year saved me – things might have been very different otherwise.”
Sarah added: “Dad worked as a bus driver and was a very active man for the majority of his life. He doted on his pet dogs and was a big fan of Elvis Presley and playing darts. He was misdiagnosed at first with indigestion and then gall stones – it wasn’t until he collapsed with pain that they discovered his cancer.
“Mum was a very strong woman and fiercely protective, she was in the care industry as well and I aspire to be like her with my own children. She suffered a lot with bloating but was very secretive and not one to make a fuss. She didn’t tell us that she had cancer until she discovered that her prognosis wasn’t looking great.
“Mum and dad were together a long time but had separated before their diagnosis. Then when they were diagnosed, they stuck with each other until the end. They were both fantastic people and so well liked, both of their funerals were packed out.”
Celia and Stephen both spent some time at Tŷ Olwen before they passed away. The hospice offers a range of services and does what it can to ensure its patients are comfortable and happy.
Sarah said: “They really do go above and beyond. I found out I was pregnant with a girl while my mum was at Tŷ Olwen. She passed away two days after discovering she was going to have a granddaughter. When we went to clear her belongings, we found a little pink blanket that a member of staff had got for her to give to me. They help to make special memories for so many of their patients, whether that’s seeing their last rugby game or doing something else they love one last time, so I want to raise as much as I can so they can continue doing this for others.”
The charity relies heavily on donations and Sarah and her siblings are hoping to raise at least £3,000 between them. Their children are also getting involved with the fundraising, doing a big walk and even a donation drive at school.
As part of her challenge, Sarah is taking on the Run 4 Wales 10K Series which is made up of races in Newport in April, Barry Island 10K in May, Porthcawl 10K in July and CDF 10K in September.
She added: “I’m relatively new to running, I’ve only been doing it for two years. My club Run 4 All in Neath, as well as my gym, Unit 9, have both helped me massively and I wouldn’t have had the confidence to take on this challenge without them.”
The Barry Island 10K takes place on Sunday 17 May, with the Porthcawl 10K on July 5th. The 40th edition of the CDF 10K is the final event in the R4W 10K Series which takes place on Sunday 6 September.
Matt Newman, Chief Executive at Run 4 Wales, said: “What an incredible challenge Sarah is taking on to raise money for such a fantastic cause in memory of her parents. We very much look forward to welcoming her across our 10K events and wish her the beast of luck with her training and her fundraising.”