Claire Bodiam, 52, from Ongar, has already raised £20,000 for St Clare Hospice since she began fundraising in 2017.
This was initially inspired by the care the hospice provided to her father before he died, and was bolstered when her son’s girlfriend’s mother was also looked after there.
Ms Bodiam said: “I’ll always be grateful for the amazing support they gave to my father and our family.
“Since then, St Clare’s has held a special place in my heart.”
What began as small acts of support turned into a series of bigger challenges, with her son Hector joining in during the pandemic.
In 2021, Hector completed a “1km-a-day lockdown running challenge” and raised £3,638.
Ms Bodiam said her most memorable challenge was running the London Marathon in 2023 for her 50th birthday, which she described as “an experience I’ll never forget”.
She said: “Afterwards I did say I’d never run another marathon but that didn’t last.”
Since then, she has completed the Brighton Marathon and now is signed up for an ultramarathon over the South Downs in May.
Recently, her motivation has grown even stronger following the death of Tara, her son’s girlfriend’s mother, who was also cared for at St Clare.
Ms Bodiam said: “For the past few years, I’ve dedicated my fundraising challenges to my dad.
“But Tara was only 52 – the same age I am now – which really brought home how precious life is and made me want to push myself even more to raise money in both their memories.”
After completing the Brighton Marathon, she was approached by the hospice about taking on the Sahara Desert Charity Trek in October 2026.
She immediately agreed, and was already aiming for a £25,000 lifetime fundraising milestone.
Ms Bodiam said she is “determined to give it my best shot.”
Currently, she has raised more than £1,000 toward her £6,600 target for 2026.
To support Ms Bodiam’s fundraising efforts, visit her JustGiving page at tinyurl.com/clairechallenge2026.
