A runner from South Oxfordshire has gathered more than £10,000 for a hospice charity by completing the London Marathon in memory of her stepmother.

Tara Kemp entered the famous race to pay tribute to Di, who passed away on 26 December 2023 at the age of 47.

She completed the course in less than four hours and accumulated over £10,000 for Sue Ryder, the charity that helped her family during Di’s illness.

Ms Kemp described the 2026 London Marathon as an unforgettable experience and the most remarkable day of her life. She said crossing the finish line felt surreal and completely overwhelming. She became emotional thinking about Di not being there to witness the moment. She expressed deep appreciation for being able to demonstrate her thankfulness for the help the organisation gave her family, and for contributing to their mission of supporting others during difficult circumstances.

Di received her bowel cancer diagnosis in 2019 while Ms Kemp was studying at university. As her health declined, the family chose to care for her at home with assistance from Sue Ryder’s specialist palliative care service based in South Oxfordshire.

Ms Kemp explained that completing the marathon was her way of demonstrating thanks and helping guarantee the charity could keep assisting families dealing with comparable situations.

A substantial amount of the fundraising came from an event featuring live music that brought together relatives and friends.