A woman from Howden is taking on a 21-mile sponsored walk in memory of her son who tragically died at just eight-years-old after a battle with leukaemia.
Philippa Lightowler is taking on the mammoth challenge on March 8 to mark son Lewis’s 21st birthday, which the family should have been celebrating on March 4. The dedicated fundraiser has been raising money for charity in Lewis’s memory since his passing in 2008, but she said she wanted to do something extra special to mark this special birthday.
Philippa said: “I’ve always fundraised in Lewis’s memory but I wanted to do something extra special, which would be a bit of a challenge to mark his 21st. “I decided to walk 21 miles around Howden and I’ve drawn up a seven-mile route which I will complete three times, with my friend Dawn joining me for the second lap.” Philippa will be raising money for Martin House Children’s Hospice, the hospice which cared for Lewis and supported the family through their heartbreaking loss, as well as local children’s cancer charity, Candlelighters.
She said: “I don’t know how we would have coped without Martin House. They gave us exactly what we needed at that time. “When we knew Lewis wasn’t going to recover we were given the option of staying in hospital, going home or moving to a hospice. We knew we didn’t want to be at home so chose to go to the hospice and we were there a couple days before Lewis passed away. “The staff were amazing, they allowed us to stay for a week, and moved Lewis to a room where we could see him and spend time as a family. “Even now they still keep in touch with us, sending Christmas and Birthday cards, so I always try to give something back to them, as well as supporting Leeds based children’s cancer charity, Candlelighters when I can too.”
A number of other businesses and residents around Howden are also supporting Philippa’s fundraiser, with Atkinson’s Bakery, where Philippa works, and The Bowmans, both holding raffles and sponsor forms, and Howden Methodist Church holding a Pancake Day fundraiser for the cause too. People can also sponsor Philippa by visiting: www.justgiving.com /fundraising/philippa-lightowler6
Philippa Lightowler will be walking 21 miles in memory of her son Lewis who would have been 21 this week. (24-02-67 GT)
