Snowdon Summit Challenge: Florence Nightingale Hospice

In July, the wonderful team I get to work with and I will be climbing to the very top of Snowdon in Wales. Every step will be in aid of The Florence Nightingale Hospice in Stoke Mandeville, in memory of my Mum and Nan. If you’d like to, please take two minutes to have a read as to why this cause is so important to me:

In early December 2023, my life took an unexpected turn. My lovely Mum shared the news that she had advanced cancer, yet (as ever) she remained positive, telling me “I’m going to be ok sweetheart”. Over the next month she faced her battle with remarkable courage, finding moments of laughter amidst the pain and expressing gratitude to everyone she encountered.

For the last three weeks of her life she was under the exceptional care of the in-patient team at the Florence Nightingale Hospice. We received the most compassionate care I have ever experienced. We were able to spend as much time with her as we wanted, and no request was too much. Mum immediately felt at ease at the hospice, quickly forming friendships with the staff, with whom she could chat and even persuade to have a Baileys on New Year’s Eve. Even in her final days, she wanted everyone to enjoy life.

On January 2nd, I visited Mum and from then I didn’t leave for a week. My brother and I were given the provisions to stay overnight so that we could be with her, alongside Rachel, holding her hand, cuddling her, and expressing our love. During this time, the team also cared for us, offering quiet conversations, supportive hugs, and endless biscuits to keep us going, ensuring Mum was surrounded by her loved ones. The staff at the hospice are true heroes.

On January 9th 2024, aged just 53, Mum passed away peacefully and surrounded by our love. I know I’ll never forget that long week we spent in the Hospice, the hard times and the special times, but I’m always comforted knowing she felt cared for, appreciated and loved. I can never thank the team at FNHC enough.

Two months later we found ourselves back in the care of the Hospice. My beautiful Nan (Mum’s Mum) had been struggling with her health over the years, so hospital trips were frequent. But this time it would be the last. Nan was admitted to A&E with abdominal pain, and as I’m sure you can imagine, it wasn’t the most pleasant environment for her.

The next morning, my brother and I were by her bed trying to keep her calm, and a FNHC nurse walked through the curtain, who we instantly recognised. She took two takes at us, and then realised who the patient was. We got a hug straight away and her first question: “What can we do?”. I asked if they had a spare bed in the Hospice, knowing she would be looked after perfectly. To our relief, they did, and within the hour she was transferred to the unit where she instantly relaxed, settled and felt at ease.

Again, my brother and I spent the next three nights there, doing what we’d done with Mum only 8 weeks prior. On 5th March 2024, Nan passed away surrounded by the love of her family whom she’d spent all her life caring for. Once again, when we needed them the in-patient team at the Florence Nightingale Hospice were there for us.

Without the compassion, care, warmth and laughs from the team at the Hospice, who were by mine and my brother’s side through it all, both our experience and that of our lovely Mum and Nan could have been very different. They are true heroes and I’ll never have the words to thank them enough. So I think raising some money for them by climbing Snowdon, really is the least I could do, doing it alongside a my team makes it even more special…