Bethany’s Story: Running in Memory of Nanni Diana

In May 2025, Bethany Hitchen laced up her running shoes for her very first marathon at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival – not just to challenge herself physically, but to honour the memory of her beloved Nanni, Diana, and to give back to the NHS teams who cared for her.

Diana passed away peacefully in July 2024 at home in North Berwick, surrounded by her loving family.

Bethany shared: “Though her understanding was limited by advanced dementia and she had become physically weak, the conscientious care provided by the Hospital to Home and District Nursing teams meant that despite her care needs, we were able to keep her in her home environment. NHS staff laughed, cried, and cared alongside Nanni’s amazing team of PAs, and family, to bring her the best care in her last months with us.”

“Prior to returning home, Nanni received care at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh emergency department and then as an inpatient where she received hip repair surgery and was cared for there until she was moved to East Lothian Community Hospital (ELCH). The team at ELCH treated her with great compassion, including over the Christmas period when their vital jobs took them away from time with their own families to allow those like mine to rest and come together, knowing our relative was safe and supported under their care.”

Bethany chose to fundraise for NHS Lothian Charity to support the incredible work that made such a difference to her family. She raised an amazing £822.75, which will go towards improving patient care, supporting staff wellbeing, and funding groundbreaking research across NHS Lothian.

Reflecting on her marathon experience, Bethany shared:

“It was wonderful to see you at the tent, and all of the supporters from the charity along the course – the support was just fantastic (as were the snacks at the end) and a huge part of making it all such a great experience. I’m glad my knees held out! Amazing to hear that total fundraising amount, it is a credit to all the fellow runners but also to all of you at the charity for your hard work. I’m so grateful for the work that you do to improve the environment and services that all of us interact with when we and our families find ourselves in need of the NHS.”

We’re incredibly proud to have had Bethany as part of the NHS Lothian Charity team at this year’s Edinburgh Marathon Festival. Her story reminds us all about how compassionate care impacts both patients and their families, and how the kindness shown by NHS staff can create lasting comfort and happy memories, even during times of loss.