Every Mile for Grandma: Ousman’s Marathon Mission
Ousman Khizer has set himself a lifelong challenge to run all six world major marathons. It’s an extraordinary goal that demands time, resilience and determination, but every mile he runs will be in memory of someone very special – his beloved grandma, Sakina Bibi.
Ousman and Sakina were incredibly close. Sakina lived with Parkinson’s for several years, during which the Royal Derby Hospital became, in Ousman’s words, “a second home for her and a pillar of support for our family.”
“The compassion, dignity and professionalism shown by the staff in her final days left a lasting impact on me. Derby is my home town and I will forever be grateful for the hospital that stood by my grandma when she needed it most.”
Ousman also remembers how the team at the Parkinson’s clinic based at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital, always made Sakina feel special:
“They knew her by name, would look after her, reassure her and she always left with a smile on her face.”
For Ousman, caring for Sakina wasn’t a duty, it was a privilege. Even whilst living in London, he travelled back for her appointments and supported her with medication – “Losing her was like losing my best friend,” he says.
Ousman’s marathon journey begins this autumn, with the Berlin Marathon on 21 September, followed closely by the Chicago Marathon on 12 October, just three weeks apart.
He’s running not only for Sakina, but also to raise funds for our charity, to support Royal Derby’s ward 306 that cared for her in her final days.
“I’ve chosen to raise funds to say thank you, to honour her memory and to help other families who rely on these services every day.”
For Ousman, the challenge of 26.2 miles pales in comparison to the strength he witnessed in his grandma and in others living with Parkinson’s:
“Running a marathon is tough, but it’s nothing compared to the strength shown by those living with Parkinson’s, or the dedication of hospital staff working tirelessly behind the scenes. Every step I take in Berlin and Chicago will be for them.”
After this, Ousman plans on conquering New York, Tokyo, Boston and London to complete his ambition of the 6 world major marathons.
Our Chief Officer, Jill Matthews said, “I’d like thank Ousman and wish him the best of luck for his marathon mission in memory of his grandma. A lot of our fundraisers, like Ousman, take on extraordinary challenges to thank our NHS staff and we are very grateful.”
If you would like to support Ousman on his marathon mission, please visit his JustGiving page.
Feeling inspired? There are many ways to support our charity from following us on social media, making a donation or taking part in your own fundraising challenge. Please visit our get involved page to see what you can do.
