Nurse to run half marathon in memory of beloved colleague

Dr Marta Krawiec, a children’s allergy consultant, who had worked at Evelina London since 2016.

Children’s allergy clinical nurse specialist, Prabalini Thaventhiran, will take on her first half-marathon on Sunday 6 March to celebrate the life of Dr Marta Krawiec.

Marta was a much loved children’s allergy consultant who tragically died in August 2021. She was a keen runner, so for Prabalini, taking part in the Paris Half Marathon felt like the perfect way to honour her.

Prabalini, who has worked at Evelina London since 2015, said: “Marta loved travelling and exploring cities. When I saw the Paris Half Marathon I thought it was the perfect place to run for her. It’s known as the city of love and she was such a close friend and colleague to so many of us, it felt so apt to go there in her memory.”

Marta left a huge mark on her colleagues at Evelina London, where she worked since 2016. Prabalini said: “I used to call Marta the walking library because she was so knowledgeable. She was the sort of person that if you had a question, not only will she have the answer, but she’d give you the background and let you know how you can learn more. I learnt so much from her.

“Marta was also so interested in other people and their hobbies. When I started running for the first time in the first COVID-19 lockdown, she was so supportive. I know she’d have been behind me running my first half marathon.”

Running for Marta is not just an important thing for Prabalini and her colleagues, but also for the patients Marta cared for. Prabalini said: “After she passed away, many of the families of the children Marta treated asked if there’s anything they could do. The money raised for Evelina London’s Children Charity will go towards the hospital’s allergy service, so donating to my run is a way for others to honour Marta’s work.”

Marta died last year after being involved in a traffic collision as she cycled to work. Though her death was an incredible loss to so many, Prabalini wants to run in her honour to highlight the legacy she has left.

The 29-year-old said: “Through doing this run I want to let Marta’s family and friends know that although it’s been a few months now since she passed away, Marta hasn’t left our team. She’s very much in our hearts and central to so much of the work we do. We all miss Marta but we want to celebrate her life and the legacy she has left behind.”

Prabalini has almost hit her target of raising £500 for Evelina London Children’s Charity. You can donate to Prabalini’s fundraising by visiting JustGiving.