Running for RNOH: A daughter's tribute to her father

Posted by June Heath on 03 April 2025

In the summer of 2019, Lauren Packer’s world changed forever. Her dad, who had been battling kidney cancer, was referred to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) in Stanmore for specialist care. The hospital teams took care of Lauren’s family and now Lauren is running a half marathon in order to say thank you.

When Lauren’s dad came to RNOH, his cancer had spread to his neck, spine and ribcage, causing complications that needed urgent surgical intervention. The first of two planned surgeries was performed to stabilise his neck, where tumours had caused a collapse. A halo was fitted, lifting his head to prevent discomfort and, in a way, restoring a part of him they had feared lost.

The second surgery, a more extensive procedure on his spine, was meant to offer a chance to improve Lauren’s dad’s mobility and extend his life. But as his condition worsened, surgery was no longer an option. Instead, he received palliative care at RNOH’s London Irish ward. Though not typically equipped for end-of-life care, the staff went above and beyond to provide comfort and dignity in his final days. Her dad passed away on 3 August 2019, just 10 days before Lauren’s eighteenth birthday.

The impact of the illness was felt in every part of the family. “I was completing my A-Levels at the time and this was a very difficult thing to do alongside trying to be with my dad as much as possible and not knowing what was around the corner,” Lauren remembers. Her step-mum rarely left his side, and Lauren’s sister, who has mild autism, found it difficult to process what was happening. Through it all, RNOH was there for the whole family, offering support when they needed it most. Staff even attended Lauren’s dad’s funeral, a testament to the deep bonds they had formed with the family.

The hospital environment made a huge difference. The London Irish ward was a calm space filled with beautiful artwork provided by RNOH Charity to offer moments of quiet. “It was a peaceful place to be with your thoughts,” says Lauren. The comforts funded by RNOH Charity, such as family sofa beds next to patients, and the warmth of the staff, meant the world to them. Lauren stayed by her dad’s side in his room, unable to imagine leaving him, and is grateful to have had that opportunity.

Now, Lauren wants to raise money to help the hospital that looked after her dad in his final days. On Sunday 6 April, she’ll be running the London Landmarks Half Marathon, alongside her partner George, in memory of her dad and in support of RNOH Charity. Training has been ongoing, and she’s even picked up a knee injury along the way, but Lauren is determined to cross that finish line. “Nothing will get in my way!” she says. “I know my dad would be proud.”

Every step she takes will be for RNOH, for the patients the teams continue to help, and for her dad. “He was so unwell, so tired and in so much pain,” Lauren recalls. “I think he just wanted some relief and I like to think he was able to experience that at RNOH. We were absolutely devastated; it was a terrible time. My dad was the absolute life and soul of our family and we are not the same without him. I have so much appreciation for the teams at RNOH and so does my family.

“I'm hoping that the money I raise leading up to the half marathon can be put towards future research into spinal tumours, buildings and equipment for the hospital, as well as patient and staff wellbeing.”

If you’d like to support Lauren, please visit her event page here.

Your generosity will help ensure that other families facing unimaginable challenges receive the same level of care and compassion that Lauren’s family did.