Royal Marines Band fundraising campaign sees £30k+ raised for terminally ill musician
In January this year, Royal Marines Musician Sophie Ward was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).
Coming a year after she married her husband, Richard, who she met in training at the Royal Marines School of Music, Sophie saw her life turned upside down after she received the diagnosis aged just 26.
Band Lance Corporal Catherine Edington, a friend and colleague of Sophie's in the Royal Marines Band Service (RMBS), told BFBS Forces News that those around her almost instantly started to discuss what could be done to support Sophie and her family.
The result is the #26forSoph campaign, which saw members of the RMBS undertaking a challenge of 26 'somethings' for Sophie.
LCpl Edington said Sophie was "really young, with a bright future ahead of her", with the diagnosis significantly changing her life.
"We really wanted to emphasise that," LCpl Edington said.
"This campaign was born out of feelings of sadness and powerlessness at a really sad situation.
"As Royal Marines, we felt this was the one thing that we could do for Sophie to help her feel supported and seen and still cared for.
"Even though she's not able to perform with us anymore, we still love her and care about her."
The campaign has now raised more than £30,000 and has seen personnel from across the military getting involved, as well as those outside of the Armed Forces.
LCpl Edington said the response to the campaign is a testament to Sophie.
"She's just the most lovely person, always smiling, loved by everyone, as is Rich. He's wonderful," she said.
"It's also a testament to the Royal Marines as a community and a family, as well, that are supported by the Royal Marines Charity."
The money raised will be split between three charities, with 70% going to the Royal Marines Charity – which has supported Sophie and her family both personally and financially.
Dorothy House Hospice, which provides end-of-life care for terminally ill patients, will receive 15%, and the remaining 15% will go to the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
LCpl Edington said the response to the challenge proved that being in the Royal Marines, or UK Armed Forces is like being in a family.
"I'll admit, I didn't really believe it until this," she said. "It always kind of struck me as a bit of a cliché saying that we're part of a family but this has proved it to me.
"And it's really changed my whole outlook on the whole thing.
"It's proven this sense of community that we've got and that anyone can have in this world, whether you want to join in with our campaign and do 26 somethings for Sophie or whether you want to support your own cause and raise money for someone [or] something you care about."
LCpl Edington spoke to BFBS Forces News from Scotland, where she was taking part in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
That event itself has seen other military personnel take on a challenge in honour of Sophie.
"Most of the people in Scotland Band have never met Sophie, but many of them did a 26-kilometre walk back from Edinburgh Castle the other night because they know what it means to be in this job and in this family," LCpl Edington went on.
"They can completely relate to that feeling of being hit with the news that you weren't expecting, especially being so early in her career and having that all ahead of her and taken away, basically."
Donations can be made to #26forSoph here.
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