“They treated us like family.” How Weldmar’s care inspired a young fundraiser to run in memory of his mum

At 18 years old, Kieran Coombs has already made a remarkable impact in memory of his mum, Nadine. Following her stay at Weldmar Hospicecare’s Inpatient Unit in Dorchester, Kieran was determined to show his gratitude for the care his family received, and has so far raised an incredible £2,405 by taking on a challenging half marathon.

Care that goes above and beyond

For Kieran, Weldmar was far more than a clinical environment. Reflecting on the time his mum spent in the Inpatient Unit at the end of 2024, he explains that the support extended well beyond medical care.

“You could think it’s just like a hospital where nurses do their jobs, but with Weldmar, everyone goes above and beyond,” Kieran says. “They treated us like family. I could stay with Mum, come and go whenever I wanted, and just be with her.”

“They’re all as lovely as each other,” Kieran adds, also noting that the support provided for his father, stepmother, and siblings has been vital.

Pushing the limits in the heat

A runner since his early school years, Kieran decided to test his fitness by taking on the Heron Half Marathon in Yeovil at the end of June 2025. It was a tough challenge on the day, with temperatures soaring to 27°C on a muggy day, but despite the difficult conditions his determination carried him to the finish line. Fueled by the thought of running in memory of his mum and the overwhelming support of family, friends, and his local community, he completed it in a fantastic time of 1 hour 49 minutes.

A wave of support

When Kieran first set up his fundraising page, he set a modest goal of £500 and was stunned by the almost immediate response.

“Within an hour, I had to increase it,” he says. Through online fundraising and traditional sponsorship forms at his and his stepmother’s workplaces, the total quickly climbed to an incredible £2,405.

Beyond the money raised, Kieran also found that the act of fundraising became a way to connect with others during a difficult time. “All the support and love you get makes you feel better during a hard time. It also opens up communication; I had people donate that I hadn’t seen in a long time, and it opened up a pathway to chat to them.”

“Just do it”

Kieran is already looking toward the future, with his sights set on a full marathon—possibly the London Marathon—when the timing is right, and for anyone else considering a challenge to support Weldmar, Kieran’s message is simple: “Do it!”

“You’ll get so much support. It makes you feel good, and the comments you receive reassure you a lot. Knowing you have all those people sharing in the experience, it gives you the encouragement to go and smash it.”

Feeling inspired to fundraise? Take a look at the challenges you can currently sign up for to raise money for Weldmar Hospicecare