West Sussex aunt runs TCS London Marathon for Southampton Ronald McDonald House that supported her family

Tilly is running in honour of her baby niece Poppy, who became suddenly and seriously unwell at the end of February 2025 and was admitted to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Southampton Hospital.

Poppy spent eight days in intensive care, including four days in an induced coma on life support, and also suffered a collapsed lung. For Tilly and her family, those days were long, overwhelming and filled with fear as they waited anxiously by Poppy’s side.

During this frightening time, Ronald McDonald House Southampton became an anchor for the family. The House provided a warm, calm space where Tilly’s brother and sister in law could stay just minutes from the PICU, close enough to rush to Poppy’s bedside at any hour. It allowed the whole family to be together, to cook meals, find moments of normality and lean on one another while everything else felt uncertain.

Thankfully, Poppy has since recovered and is now doing much better. Feeling incredibly grateful for the support her family received, Tilly is determined to give something back by running the London Marathon. As part of her fundraising, she has also designed two children’s prints (Tilly Lock Art), donating £10 from each sale to support Ronald McDonald House Charities UK.

Tilly said: “Those days in PICU were terrifying. Watching Poppy so unwell and not knowing what would happen was overwhelming for all of us. Ronald McDonald House Southampton gave my brother and sister in law somewhere calm and welcoming to stay, just minutes from the hospital, which meant they could be by Poppy’s side whenever she needed them.

Being able to stay together, cook a meal and sit down for a moment of normality made such a difference during an incredibly frightening time.

Now that Poppy is doing so much better, I feel hugely grateful and motivated to give something back. Running the marathon, and fundraising in creative ways like designing children’s prints, feels like a small way of saying thank you and helping other families who find themselves in similar situations.”

Ronald McDonald House Charities UK is an independent charity, which operates 14 Houses across England, Wales and Scotland, providing free ‘home away from home’ accommodation. The Houses keep families together, close to their children in hospital. They provide a place to sleep, cook and retain some sense of normal life; a lifeline for families at a very stressful time, especially when they are far from home.

Lily Miller, Senior Events Manager at Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Tilly for taking on the London Marathon for her niece Poppy. It was our privilege to support her family during such a frightening time, and fundraising efforts like this help ensure we can continue providing a home away from home for families when they need it most.”

Ronald McDonald House Southampton has 53 ensuite bedrooms, providing warm and comfortable accommodation for support families with children being treated at Southampton Children’s Hospital and Princess Anne Hospital. In 2025, the House accommodated 1039 families for an average of 13 nights.

To donate via Tilly’s fundraiser, please visit: https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/tilly-lock

To find out more about Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, visit: www.rmhc.org.uk