Running a marathon is an incredible feat - taking on the London Marathon as your third race and first ever official marathon is even more amazing. For Nicola Wademan, the London Marathon is even more than that still; it is a heartfelt tribute to her late mother, Lorraine, and a way to give back to those incredible people across Sheffield’s Hospitals who cared for her Mum, and were there for Nicola’s family throughout.
Nicola’s love for running started at an early age. “I’ve always loved running, even as a child,” she recalls. “I used to love cross-country, but as an adult, I had never done any races until I started fundraising for Holly.” Her first fundraising run was the Sheffield Half Marathon in 2022, which she completed with a few friends to raise funds for Sheffield Hospitals Charity in support of her friend Holly, who sadly passed away after being diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. The race was Nicola’s first experience with both fundraising and long-distance running races as an adult, with her Mum Lorraine cheering her on from the sidelines.
Caption: Nicola at the Sheffield Half Marathon with other Team Holly fundraisers
When Lorraine was diagnosed with cancer, the care Nicola witnessed her receive from hospital staff, district nurses, and other healthcare professionals left a lasting impression. “It wasn’t just her treatment, it was everything else too,” she explains. “I could see how all the different parts of Sheffield’s hospitals worked together to give my mum the care she needed. I wanted to thank them as a group, and raise more money for those who are currently undergoing similar diagnoses to enhance the care they receive too.”
The decision to take on the London Marathon came unexpectedly. Nicola had entered the ballot on a whim shortly before her Mum passed, never believing she would get a place. “When I got the email saying I’d been accepted, I couldn’t believe my eyes!” she says. Initially, she was unsure about fundraising again, feeling that her friends and family had been incredibly generous during her previous efforts. However, after watching her friends participate in the Sheffield Half Marathon last Saturday, she was inspired to get her own fundraiser started. “So many people were asking for a fundraising link, and I thought, it would be a total injustice - not just to the people who work for Sheffield’s hospitals, but to my mum - to not just go for it and see what I can raise!”
Caption: Nicola running the Sheffield Half Marathon in 2022
With just weeks to go until the marathon, Nicola’s fundraising campaign is now in full swing. “All I’ve done so far is plaster it on my socials last Saturday,” she says, laughing (with an incredible £1,855 raised in just three days so far!) “- but I do have a list of people and businesses who have kindly said they’d donate, so I’ll be chasing them to make sure they do!” Nicola and her friend’s previous fundraising efforts for Holly raised over £15,000 in just six weeks, and she hopes to channel the same amazing community spirit this time too.
This year’s London Marathon comes shortly after Nicola’s first Mother’s Day without Lorraine. “It’s been near enough a year since she passed,” she reflects. “I’m running in memory of her this year - doing something positive for her memory.” Though Lorraine wasn’t a runner herself, often joking that Nicola was ‘completely bonkers’ for enjoying the sport, she was always a proud spectator. Even when illness made it difficult for her to leave the house in 2023, she made it to the roadside to cheer Nicola on in the Sheffield Half Marathon as it passed by her house.
Caption: Nicola and her Mum, Lorraine
As Nicola continues her training, she hopes her story will inspire others to take on fundraising challenges of their own. “I would say, just go for it,” she encourages. “It’s worthwhile being able to put your heart into something that will help others in times of need, just as it helped my mum. It’s easy to worry about how much you’ve raised or other things, but you just have to do it.”
Donate to Nicola’s fundraiser here
Check out our page celebrating Sheffield’s mums and those who care for them
Published: Thursday 27th of March 2025