Can you imagine the words that your child, your partner, your loved ones, the ones who you laugh with, have had adventures with, you've made amazing memories with, has a complex or incurable condition? The world suddenly stands still, all the noise around is suddenly silenced and you suddenly need to focus, deal, process the information, understand the information and work out what to do next.

That is where Havens Hospices step in; they have specialist care teams that care for Babies, Children, Teenagers, and Adults and have Wellbeing Teams that supports not only the patients but all of their families. They ensure emotional, social, spiritual, and psychological needs are at the centre of the care.  Not only that, but if a patients wish is to be cared for or have their last days at home, their specialist teams provide the care and compassion that everyone deserves.

I was asked to record a radio trailer for Havens Hospices a few years ago, and that was the first time that I had heard of them.  Since then I have found out more about the incredible work that they do on a very personal level.  Seeing photos of people that you know and hearing how Havens supports them is both heart warming and heart wrenching at the same time.  Seeing how they care for people and support their families whilst ensuring that they can make memories, have time to relax and be themselves, be able to ask for help, empowering people to be able to live in their own homes or just helping take the worries off of their shoulders is a gift that until we go through it, we will never understand the true value of and how special it is. 

All of this is why I am fundraising for Havens by running both the Southend Half Marathon and the London Marathon. I volunteer for a charity and know how vital fundraising is, and I am proud to be supporting another charity that has its heart in Essex. I am not a runner, I have fallen over, scraped my knee's, given up, moaned about the cold, the wet, and the snow, but then taken a moment to realise how lucky I am that I can do this, when others can't or don't have this opportunity.  

This is a very difficult time for so many, but if you could donate just £1.00 you will be making a difference to many lives and that is something that is truly priceless. 

If you want to learn more please visit Homepage - Havens Hospices
and read the incredible stories of just some of the lives they have supported. Thank you for your time and support - and if you are free, see you on the 2nd of October in London - please give me a cheer. 

Sam xx

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