KINSHIP carer Shannon, 30, from Cwmbran will be running 150 km in July for the charity Kinship in memory of her mother who died 10 years ago from a brain aneurysm.
Shannon plans to run along the river paths in Cwmbran completing almost one marathon a week to raise money for the charity which supports kinship carers – friends and family raising more than 11,000 children in Wales when their parents can’t look after them.
The mother-of-one decided to raise money for the charity after making the life-changing decision with her husband Daniel to take care of her niece and three nephews aged 7, 8, 12 and 13 last year.
Shannon said: “We received a call from social services to say they would be placed in care unless we could take them in. We already had our three-year-old, so it’s been pretty challenging to say the least.
“We had nothing ready and had to make do with very little at first. We’ve been sleeping on the sofabed so the children can have a bedroom.”
Swansea University lecturer Shannon and Daniel took two weeks compassionate leave from work to try and settle the children and their family into their new lives.
But with no paid leave from work for kinship carer Daniel had no choice but to quit his job so he could stay at home to look after the five children.
Shannon said: “If either of us had been given a couple of months paid leave so that we could spend time getting into a good routine, perhaps my husband wouldn’t have had to quit his operations manager job, but one of us had to be at home with the children.
“Swansea University has been fantastic, offering me flexible working strategies which has enabled me to stay in the job I love and be home to support the children and Daniel.”
The Kinship Connected foster carers have had to sell their home to buy a bigger property which has drained their savings.
Shannon said: “It’s not what we planned for in life going from a family of three to a family of seven almost overnight, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Shannon, who is a university lecturer in Swansea’s cardiac physiology department said: “I had wanted to do a charity run in memory of my mum who always put children’s welfare first and Kinship is a cause that’s close to our hearts and this gives me a way of also recognising the charity for the support they’ve given us.
“It’s so important for kinship carers to know where to turn to for support when they need it and to understand their rights. It’s also essential for those in management positions to know that being flexible and supportive helps kinship families like ours stay together.”
Kinship Director of Policy & Communications Lisa Watch said: “Shannon is about to embark on an epic running challenge to raise vital funds for Kinship for which we are truly grateful.
“Amazing kinship carers like Shannon and Daniel step up often in times of crisis to keep the children they love within a stable, secure loving family, often sacrificing jobs and income in the process.
“We hope the wonderful people of Wales will join us in cheering Shannon on and donating to Kinship as she runs almost one marathon a week in memory of her beloved mum, who would be so very proud of her.”
If you would like to donate to Shannon’s 150km fundraising run for Kinship, visit her JustGiving page.
