26 Mar 2026 Community

Running with Purpose Hilary Takes on the Boston Marathon in Memory of Dennis

Hilary Baseley is preparing to take on one of the world’s most iconic races, the Boston Marathon, and she’s doing it for a deeply personal reason. 

Following the loss of her brother-in-law, Dennis Calnan, Hilary is determined to turn her grief into something positive by raising vital funds for The Kirkwood. Dennis, described by Hilary as “a wonderful, gentle man”, was cared for by The Kirkwood before he sadly died from prostate cancer last autumn 2025. 

The compassionate support he and his wife Kath received left a lasting impact on their family, inspiring Hilary to give back in an extraordinary way. Speaking about her motivation, Hilary said: “My brother in law Dennis was a wonderful, gentle man who died too soon, last autumn from Prostate Cancer. Dennis and his wife Kath received wonderful support from The Kirkwood. So, I am running the Boston Marathon in memory of Dennis to raise money for The Kirkwood to help other families.”

Remarkably, Hilary only began running in 2020 at the age of 59. Since then, she has taken on six of the world’s major marathons, including: London, Berlin, Chicago, New York, Tokyo, and now Boston, all in support of charitable causes. Despite describing herself as “not a runner”, her determination has carried her across the globe and into an intense training routine: “This is my 6th marathon, I am not a runner and started in 2020 when I was 59, doing one a year since to raise money for various charities. The training is intense, this week I have done three 8km runs, a 90-minute cycle ride and on Sunday will run 32km, the longest distance before Boston which is 42.5km. At the moment everything hurts, I have my knees and calf muscle taped up to protect them, but I am not going to give up!”

Hilary’s resilience is already paying off. She has surpassed an incredible fundraising milestone, raising over £1,000 to support The Kirkwood’s care for local families: “I am super proud to be raising funds for The Kirkwood so other families can benefit from the support you have offered ours. I have just exceeded £1,000 raised!” she said.

Her story highlights not only personal determination, but also the powerful impact of The Kirkwood’s work across Kirklees, she continued: “The Kirkwood does vital work for the community of Kirklees and needs all the support possible for the vital services and caring support they offer families at such difficult times.”

Every pound raised will help The Kirkwood continue to provide specialist care and support for people living with life limiting illnesses, and their loved ones, when they need it most.

You can support Hilary on her Boston Marathon journey and help make a difference for families across Kirklees by donating HERE. Also if this story has inspired you and you want to take on your own challenge why not click HERE.