A South Wales nurse who ran the Swansea Half Marathon in memory of her uncle will put her running trainers back on to take part in the Cardiff Half Marathon.
Jordan Ashman, 25, from Bridgend, has so far raised over £1,000 for the Wales Air Ambulance in memory of her uncle Jamie.
The Wales Air Ambulance flew to Jamie’s aid following his cardiac arrest in November 2023, but despite the efforts of all involved Jamie sadly passed away.
Jamie was living with a rare condition called Wilson’s disease, a genetic disorder that prevents the body from removing excess copper, causing it to build up in organs like the brain and liver.
Jordan said: “My uncle was a very happy man surrounded by his family and lived a very happy life. He was the most precious man who always put a smile on our faces and we miss him terribly every day.”
“The Wales Air Ambulance arrived at his care home and did all they could to save him. Due to the service they provided we as a family will forever be grateful, they arrived immediately and did everything in their power to save my uncle, unfortunately this wasn’t possible. I wanted to raise money as a thank you for their services.”
Jordan hasn’t always been a runner – in 2020 she couldn’t run for more than 30 seconds, but set herself the challenge of completing the NHS Couch to 5k programme.
She said: “I then fell off the bandwagon and focussed on the gym. Then last year I decided I wanted to challenge myself and I booked the Swansea Half Marathon.”
Despite Jordan suffering from a viral infection prior to the Swansea Half Marathon and being ‘very nervous to run’ she was determined and took on the challenge.
Jordan said: “There were times when I wanted to stop running and give up but I reminded myself of the reason I was running and that was for my uncle Jamie. The support on the day was absolutely amazing. There were people cheering you on from start to finish.
“Even the support from fellow runners was outstanding. It was lovely to see people coming together and supporting each other in such a challenging event.”
Wales Air Ambulance is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient and, if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury. For the patient, this can mean hours saved when compared to standard care and is proven to greatly improve survival and early recovery.
It is delivered via a unique Third Sector and Public Sector partnership. The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) supplies highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the Charity’s vehicles.
The Swansea Half Marathon was the first time that Jordan has raised funds for the Wales Air ambulance and she was ‘absolutely over the moon’ to raise funds of the all-Wales Charity.
Jordan, who works at the Princess of Wales Hospital, said: “I have been lucky enough to have a space for the Cardiff Half Marathon. This will give me another opportunity to raise even more money for the Charity, which makes me extremely happy.
“I did not expect to have raised so much money. However, my family and friends knew how much this meant to me and how determined I was to pass that finish line. I’m very lucky everyone was in a position to sponsor me.”
Christian Sullivan, South Wales’ Regional Fundraising Manager for the Wales Air Ambulance, said: “Every year the Wales Air Ambulance needs to raise £11.2 million to keep its helicopters in the air and its rapid response vehicles on the road, support from fundraisers, like Jordan, will help us to continue to be there for the people of Wales when they need us most.
“A huge thank you to Jordan who has so far raised over £1,000 for the Wales Air Ambulance in memory of her much-loved uncle Jamie. What a lovely way to remember Jamie. Jordan and her family know first-hand how important our service is and it is touching to hear that she wanted to raise funds for the Charity.
“It is wonderful to hear that since completing the Swansea Half Marathon Jordan will put on her running trainers again to run the Cardiff Half Marathon, which is incredible. Good luck, Jordan.
“Thank you to everybody who has supported Jordan with both challenges. Every donation that is made to the Charity enables us to continue our hard work in making sure this service continues to be available to the people of Wales.”
You can show your support to Jordan by donating to her JustGiving page
Jordan Ashman is fundraising for Wales Air Ambulance Charitable Trust
