Miss Katie Quarterman, Assistant Director of Sport (Performance), has set herself the challenge of running the London Marathon on 3 October 2021, in memory of her mum. Miss Quarterman shares her motivations, memories, and reason for choosing to complete the challenge in aid of Thames Valley Air Ambulance with us:

‘Despite being a PE teacher, I was not born to run long distances. I can usually be found running after a tiny ball in a squash court and not out running for hours on end. So, I challenged myself to run the historic London Marathon to raise money for Thames Valley Air Ambulance (TVAA). TVAA is an independent charity that relies solely on donations. The helicopter can reach any emergency in the Thames Valley area within 15 minutes, only needs the space of two tennis courts to land and, with the help of night vision goggles, can fly under the cover of darkness. Anyone ever needing their services is sure to receive the best possible care as, unlike average land ambulances, a paramedic and doctor team mans the TVAA emergency response vehicles, allowing the TVAA to bring the expertise of a hospital right to the scene of an emergency.

Back in 2014, my mum required the services of the Thames Valley Air Ambulance after she collapsed from a brain aneurism on a walk with a friend. Where she fell ill was fairly remote and the TVAA could get there to help give her the best possible chance of survival. They flew her to the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, but unfortunately, my mum’s aneurism meant that she would not survive. The TVAA and their crew were able to give us the most precious of commodities – time. Their swift work allowed our family to get to the hospital to be with my mum as we said goodbye. I will always take comfort in the fact that their fast-acting approach meant that my mum could fulfil her wish to be an organ donor. She could save lives in her passing.

I hope that by sharing my story, others will find comfort and be open to sharing and supporting others. If you have a charity or cause you are passionate about, get out there and do what you can to support. Challenge yourself and push your boundaries. For some that may be running a marathon themselves, for others, it might be baking for the first time for a cake sale. I have been overwhelmed by the support and generosity that I have received so far. It has helped get me through some long and lonely early morning runs. Thank you to everyone – your donations are going towards an amazing cause!’

Miss Quarterman has been training for months, with runs ranging from a few to 32 kilometres! The Downe House girls have enjoyed helping Miss Quarterman get ready for the marathon and participated in a mufti day to help fundraise for the Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

It costs £3,325 to send out a helicopter for every Thames Valley Air Ambulance mission. Between 1 October 2019 and 30 September 2022, TVAA were called out 2570 times to help patients in need of critical care, all supported by donations. To donate to Miss Quarterman’s marathon fundraising, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/katherine-quarterman3

Best of luck Miss Quarterman! Well done for all your hard work from everyone at Downe House – we cannot wait to see you cross the finish line!