Leeds Rhinos legend Jamie Peacock takes on London Marathon to raise cash for Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice

Jamie is hoping to raise £10,000 for Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice in Headingley, which has had its funding slashed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Hospice provided "brilliant" palliative care for Jamie's father, Darryl, who died from terminal lung cancer in 2013.

As well as its expert care for people with life-limiting conditions, the Hospice provides support for their loved ones.

"It's a wonderful place," Jamie, an ambassador for the Hospice, told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

“You never want to find out how good a hospice is, but when you’re in really difficult circumstances with people that you love they provide great terminal care.

“They are wonderful people, really caring and they make a difficult time easier. They make the last few days of anyone’s lives as comfortable and peaceful as possible.

“They must care for thousands of people like my dad, but they make everyone feel special and individual.”

The nine-time Grand Final winner will run the London Marathon on October 3, joined by Simon Dent, the founder of sports marketing agency Dark Horses, and Leeds Rhinos' development officer Russell Parker.

They're hoping the money raised will ensure more families can be supported by Wheatfields Hospice in their time of need.

Jamie added: “The pandemic has really damaged charities, it has hit their income hard.

"Without places like the Hospice people would really struggle. I wouldn’t want anyone to go through what I went through without being able to use a hospice.

"They need this funding to keep going. They rely on private donations to keep making difficult times easier for people.

“If I can do anything to pay them back for what they did for me and my family, I feel a sense of duty to do that."

Wheatfields has praised Jamie for his "unwavering" support as an ambassador for the charity.

Sue Ryder's head of hospice fundraising, Donna Woodman, said: "It has been a difficult 18 months for fundraising due to the Covid 19 pandemic so it is fantastic to see fundraising events like the London Marathon happening again.

"We are so grateful to Jamie, Simon and Russ for taking on this challenge for the hospice. Jamie is a fantastic ambassador for Sue Ryder Wheatfields and his support has always been unwavering.

"The whole hospice team wish him and his friends the very best of luck in the marathon and thank them for supporting Wheatfields. This support means that we can continue to be there for our patients and their families when they need us most."

You can donate to Jamie's fundraising page here.

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