Local father taking on marathon and cycle challenge for hospice that supports his daughter

Shane Pardew from Plymouth, whose daughter Evie receives support at CHSW’s Little Harbour hospice in St Austell, is passionate about giving back to the charity. CHSW offers care and support to his whole family including wife Amy and older daughter Skye.

Shane’s youngest daughter, 8-year-old Evie, has a chromosome 7 deletion, which is extremely rare, as well as stage 3 kidney disease. She cannot walk, so is reliant on crawling, and is also nonverbal.

The family have been supported by the charity for 4 years, initially at CHSW’s Little Bridge House hospice in North Devon and now at Little Harbour in Cornwall. Both hospices are incredibly special places for the family and have provided respite as well as a physical and mental break during their most difficult times.

Shane said: “We’re at a stage now where we can really enjoy the hospice. Evie has the mobility to crawl around and do her thing and enjoys crafts. Evie loves it at Little Harbour, and she now knows where she is.”

Shane will be proudly wearing his CHSW running vest when he takes on the Plymouth Half Marathon on Sunday 11 May.

Shane said: “I ran Plymouth Half last year off my own back to see if I could do it, and I could. I was asked to run for the hospice, and I said maybe next year. Now here I am.”

Shane will also be taking to the saddle in July and participating in CHSW’s 200 mile cycling event, Ride for Precious Lives, along with 118 other riders. The 3-day event sees cyclists pedal all the way from Little Harbour in St Austell to Charlton Farm hospice in North Somerset, via Little Bridge House. Due to its popularity the event has already sold out this year and the charity has opened registration for its 2026 event already. 

This will be Shane’s third time taking part, after being inspired by his wife Amy’s brother, who took part. 

I remember watching on as Amy’s brother took part and I said to her: ‘This is my event. I need to do this next year.

He explains further: “I knew it would help me to give back, and that it would also be a personal challenge. With what we’ve gone through with hospitals and everything else, I needed to do this. I’d also put on a bit of weight, so it was a focus point for me as well. Fundraise, get fit, give back, and do my thing.”

Shane has returned to the event for the addictive sense of camaraderie and fun, despite the challenging route. He loves the build-up to the cycle, including the fundraising. He takes his spin bike to local supermarkets and completes static cycles as part of his fundraising. “It’s such a feel-good weekend, I just don’t know of any other event that is so well put together as Ride, and what I get from it, the whole weekend from start to finish is amazing – we are like one big family.”

Shane is hoping to raise £1,400 to support the vital care that is provided at all 3 of CHSW’s hospices for over 500 families including his.

Shane concludes: 

We don’t know what’s around the corner and we go year by year. We’re making as many memories as we can; doing what we can to give back to the hospice has been so good for us and makes us stronger.

You can support Shane by donating to his Just Giving Page here.

Or for more information about his challenge visit here.