Coastal walk for St Oswalds Hospice

My younger brother Jonathan was born in March 1990 and in December of that year, at only 9 months old, he contracted Pneumococcal Meningitis. This had a devastating effect on Jonathan’s health, which was life changing for him and for us as a family.

In the years that followed my Mam became Jonathan’s full time carer. We had no respite care for him until the age of 14, at which point he got a place at St Oswald’s Hospice in Gosforth, Newcastle.

St Oswald’s Hospice is a charitable hospice based in the North East of England helping children and adults who have life-limiting conditions. Between the ages of 14 to 25 Jonathan had many overnight stays at St Oswald’s, first at the children’s hospice and then at the adolescent unit.

I am sure you can imagine how exhausting and challenging life as a carer can be and St Oswald’s offers an essential service which allows families to get the break they need and to feel confident that their loved ones are well looked after. Everything about the hospice is amazing, from the facilities to the around the clock care and, of course, the nurses and staff who work so incredibly hard.

In October 2022, Jonathan sadly passed away aged 32.

On Saturday 5th August 2023 I will be walking 20 miles along the Northumberland coast in Jonathan’s memory and to raise vital funds for St Oswald’s Hospice. Any donations, big or small, to help me reach my target of £300 would mean so much and would be a great way to say a big thank you to St Oswald’s for the outstanding care Jonathan received.

St Oswald’s has supported local people and their families for over 35 years - to learn more about their work, please visit their website: https://www.stoswaldsuk.org

Thank you for reading.