As the marathon approaches three young individuals prepare for the gruelling challenge ahead. Mollie, her brother Archie and her fiancé Danny are in training to raise money for Nightingale Hammerson. Together they are dedicating their miles to a cause close to their heart, their grandmother Jackie Segall.
Jackie is a Resident on Audrey Household at Hammerson House and is living with dementia. She often struggles to recognise her grandchildren when they visit. Yet when their names are mentioned, her eyes sparkle and she beams with joy.
“My grandchildren,” she articulates and nods. With the help of care team member Mayette she succeeds in naming them.
Archie and Danny are seasoned runners but for Mollie it is her first marathon. She is relieved to have Archie and Danny by her side.
“I need both of them,” she says. “Danny helps me with the day to day training and the fuelling, educating me on how to take electrolytes and consume more carbs. He is a great runner and I am very slow, so I know I need Archie by my side to spur me on when the going gets tough.”
When they were younger before her dementia set in, Jackie was a supportive and loving grandmother and always remained proud of Mollie and Archie. When Mollie is training, she thinks about what she is training for. She thinks about her wonderful grandmother Jackie who is now a distant memory of her former self and she becomes emotional.
“I know the run is going to be a huge challenge for me, but I would do anything for my grandmother. Even though I know she can’t engage and there are days when I am not even sure she recognises me, I still know she would be so proud of me. For Jackie, we were the best. She was always caring and loving.”
For Danny, he recognises how important it is to raise money for Nightingale Hammerson. He has visited his grandparents in other care homes and realises what a special place Hammerson House is.
“I witness how good the care is,” he nods. “I feel it is a blessing to run with Mollie and Archie and to push myself to achieve something for their grandmother and for the home.”
Archie meanwhile is in the process of training for a 100K run from London to Brighton. For him the 26 mile marathon is a practice run, and the aim is to accompany his sister and be by her side whilst Danny tries to achieve his best time.
“Before her diagnosis, our grandmother had an amazing way of communicating,” Danny reminisces. “I felt totally heard. She would touch my shoulder, keep eye contact and I always felt she was completely with me. It is good to think about the person she was. This run has helped me channel my feelings for my grandmother. When I run with Mollie by my side, I know she will be there with us throughout the marathon. She will be in our thoughts.”
Mollie adds, “Even though she doesn’t realise we are running for her, we know we are running for our grandmother and the home where she lives. We are keeping the memory alive of who she once was and at the same time honouring who she is now.”
We wish Mollie Archie and Danny and all our incredible runners the very best of luck and thank them for their commitment and dedication to Nightingale Hammerson.
Run for Nightingale Hammerson in 2027 and celebrate the generosity, kindness, and determination of our marathon community. Be part of something extraordinary.
For more information, please contact Briony Wilson: bwilson@nightingalehammerson.org or register your interest here.
To donate to Mollie, Archie’s and Danny’s fundraising page please click here.
