Two sisters from the south coast are preparing to take on the iconic 26.2-mile challenge of the 2026 TCS London Marathon together - all while raising funds for Brighterway, the official charity of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Kat, a physiotherapist based in Portsmouth, and her sister Clare, who previously worked for the Trust as an advanced clinical practitioner, will run side-by-side in April as part of Team Brighterway.
Brighterway raises funds to support projects that enhance patient care, improve wellbeing and create better experiences for patients, staff and hospital environments across the Trust.
For Kat, whose career has focused on rehabilitation since 2010, supporting the charity aligns closely with the work she does every day.
Kat explained: “Brighterway is an excellent charity that supports staff and patients for the Trust I work for. Its aim to support recovery, enhance quality of life and enable people to live more fulfilling lives is exactly what my whole career has been based around.
“Getting the opportunity to fundraise and run for this fantastic charity was a no-brainer so I jumped at the opportunity.”
Clare, who worked in the NHS for 15 years including four years with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said she has seen first-hand the impact the charity can make.
“I know the benefit Brighterway funding can have for staff and patient care,” she said. “This was a way of doing something I love for the Trust I worked for.”
Training for a marathon through the winter months has presented challenges for both sisters - particularly balancing work, family life and the unpredictable British weather.
Kat said: “I do a lot of runs after work and find it tough to motivate myself to go out in the dark, cold and wet weather, but once you’re out it is generally fine and actually enjoyable. It makes me wonder why I procrastinated for so long.”
The sisters have made training a shared commitment, tackling many of their long-distance runs together.
“I have planned to do at least one run a week along with all my long runs with my sister Clare. Running with her helps with my motivation and she won’t let me stop” Kat added.
For Clare, who lives between Portsmouth and Southampton and is also juggling training with family life and two children, marathon preparation has required careful planning.
“Having two children means juggling their activities with getting the runs done and keeping up with life admin. It’s meant organising runs wherever I’ve had to take them for competitions, training or parties.”
Both sisters say running plays an important role in maintaining their physical and mental wellbeing.
“A large reason why I run is for my mental health,” Kat said. “Having a challenge like a marathon is a fantastic way to build resilience. A huge part of long-distance running is overcoming your brain telling you to stop.”
Clare agrees that running can mirror the ups and downs of life. She shared: “Running is much like life - sometimes it feels hard and sometimes things you don’t anticipate happen, but you put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward,” she said. “If you can do it with a friend, it can make it even better.”
Kat is dedicating the run to the many patients and colleagues she has worked with during her career. “I would like to dedicate the run to all of the wonderful patients and colleagues I have had the opportunity of working with over the years,” she said.
Clare added that she hopes the run will also recognise the wellbeing of NHS staff and the vital work they do, “I’m dedicating my run to all NHS workers and to the mental health and wellbeing of those in the NHS.”
For both sisters, sharing the London Marathon experience together will make the day even more special.
“A London Marathon place is such a special thing,” Kat said. “Being able to run it with my sister is extra special - I cannot wait.”
Clare added: “I’m very grateful to get the opportunity to run the London Marathon and to do it alongside my sister Kat.”
Kat and Clare are part of a team of NHS colleagues representing Brighterway at the 2026 London Marathon, all raising funds to support projects that improve patient experiences and staff wellbeing across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Supporters can follow Kat and Clare’s journey and help raise funds for Brighterway.
You can donate to their JustGiving page here.
To find out more about Brighterway’s four London Marathon runners, visit the Brighterway website.