Ashgate Hospice
Markovitz Sparkle Night Walk 2019
Our wonderful Sparkle Night Walkers are making every step count as they walk 10km to help care for more patients and their families across North Derbyshire.
Story
This is a very special year as we celebrate our fifth Sparkle Night Walk! Last year, our fantastic Sparkle Night Walkers helped to raise over £200,000 for your local hospice. Will you sign up to the Markovitz Sparkle Night Walk on Saturday 6th July 2019 this year?
You can help make sure that everybody in North Derbyshire with a life-limiting illness can access vital support when they need it, people just like David
David died 11 years ago at the Hospice at the age of 24. Davids mum, Linda, and his sister-in-law, Theresa, have been walking the Sparkle Night Walk, and previously the Midnight Walk, for over seven years in Davids memory.
It's one day a year when we can do something in David's memory and do something for the Hospice. We always get his photo printed on our t-shirts. Even though most people are doing the walk in memory of their loved ones, its a fun walk, not a sad walk. We have a laugh. Everybody's in good spirits and we always speak to people we've never seen before. It's lovely!
David was diagnosed with a condition called neurofibromatosis at birth. This caused him to have a brain tumour at the age of 24. He died much quicker than any of the doctors expected. There wasn't much time between when they found the tumour and when David died.
When he was at the Hospice he was in his own room, it was a big room and all his family and all his friends could come and be with him as much as they liked. As soon as he arrived here, they were looking at what they could do to get him home, however he deteriorated too quickly in the end. The day before he died, he seemed to perk up. He was joking and trying to laugh. We'd got the telly on and he was trying to dance to the telly in his bed. This gave his brothers, Michael and Paul, the chance to enjoy those final days with David.
We appreciate everything they did for us at the Hospice. Although it was a shock when David came here, it was good that he didnt die in hospital. We all had the opportunity to have our special moment with him here, all the kids got to see him, Paul stayed the night with him, I helped to feed him and so on. We could come here anytime we liked and stay for as long as we liked. We were all able to have that little bit of time with David, which is something we will always remember, and it makes us feel better to think about that.
Doing the Sparkle Night Walk really helps me. You feel like everybody whos walking is in the same boat. There are always people you know who might need the Hospice.
It seems a long time, 11 years, since David died, but it's not for me. I'll never get over it. It sometimes feels like people think you should get over it, but hes my son so hell always be with me. Remembering David at the Sparkle Night Walk is special for us in so many ways, and well continue to walk it and continue to support the Hospice as long as its going.
Theresa and Linda at the Sparkle Night Walk in 2017.
By taking to the streets in bright pink t-shirts and flashing bunny ears, not only will you have a truly memorable night of fun, laughter and entertainment, you will also be walking to ensure that patients and families can receive specialist care at the most crucial time.
To sign up for our Markovitz Sparkle Night Walk 2019, please visit: https://sparklenightwalk.org.uk/.
For more information, please contact a member of our Fundraising Team on 01246 567250 or email events@ashgatehospicecare@ashgatehospicecare.org.uk.