Warwick Woman Undertakes Desert Race to Support Hospice After Husband’s Death

Charlotte Rochenard-Taylor, a woman from Warwick, is participating in a 120km (75-mile) four-day race across the deserts of Jordan. Her involvement is aimed at supporting a hospice that provided care for her late husband. Ms. Rochenard-Taylor stated that running became a coping mechanism for her grief following Jamie’s death from a brain tumour in June of the previous year. She is competing in the Marathon des Sables to generate funds for Myton Hospice, an organization with facilities located in Coventry, Warwick, and Rugby. According to Ms. Rochenard-Taylor, the endeavor was “just a way to keep alive, if that makes sense, getting again out of my comfort zone to just feel like fully alive.” The runner also mentioned that one of her husband’s final desires was to pass away at home, a goal she made her “mission for this to happen.” She further commented: “Thanks to the Myton Hospice, the at-home team… that was made possible.” While her husband was an avid runner, she would join him “now and again.” She elaborated: “I’ve always been active, but never done that much running before.” She continued, stating, “I [found] that running actually became for me a way to cope with the grief, just to get out there and just get the rage out and just… mental wellbeing really.” She reflected, “I thought ‘well, it’s gonna be a year of training’ and that was my focus, this has been my focus for the whole year.” Ms. Rochenard-Taylor, who sustained a broken pelvis several years prior, expressed that the charity holds significant personal importance to her. She viewed the race, which commenced on Tuesday, as an excellent method to provide support. She remarked, “I thought running in a more difficult environment, if you like, was a good idea to… just make something more [challenging] and get the word out for many reasons.” The participant emphasized that palliative care treatment held equal significance to “the treatment for the tumour in the first place.” She further explained, “It just became so important for the quality of life…. just dying in dignity really, just being able to be at home, be with me, just [the] two of us.” She concluded by saying, “It has no price really and the Myton Hospice, the people… I can just remember the kindness, the smile [they offered] when they came round.” For further updates, follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.