My dads life with cancer was a hard one. St Peters Hospice took the pain out of the end of my Dads life for all of us. Dad was reaching the end of his life and caring for him at home was becoming fraught and unmanageable. On Christmas Day last year, Dads condition looked critical, and as I arrived from Newcastle that late evening we knew he was reaching the end of his life.  A few days after his 54th birthday on a particularly bad night we knew we couldn’t carry on anymore and we phoned St Peter's Hospice. Luckily for us we were hugely relieved when they told us they could offer us a bed straightaway.

By the morning Dad found himself in this incredible state of the art facility. The beauty and serenity of the building was uplifting and being greeted by the quiet confidence and compassion of the staff brought us into a state of focused calm. Dad was given a lovely room with enormous plate glass windows looking out onto a wintery scene of pine trees and squirrels. The amazing nurses and counsellors took us by the hand and gently lead us through the most unbearable and inconceivable time of our lives. They cradled us carefully as a family so that Dad was able to die in control and his death became a sacred moment we shared with him in absolute peace. 

It costs £22,000 a day to run St Peter's Hospice and all of the money comes from charitable donations and relentless fundraising. We were fortunate they had a bed available when we needed it. It is the only adult hospice to cover all of Bristol and they have just 15 beds. COVID 19 has brought almost all of their fundraising to a halt and already 3 beds have had to close. They are facing unprecedented challenge. 

My dad stayed at the hospice for 17 days. My family have received bereavement counselling. All of this was given to us entirely free of charge. Our debt to St Peters is massive. Please could you help us repay it and help ensure that this amazing place remains open and available to as many individuals and families as possible.

The annual Midnight Walk has been cancelled because of the pandemic but I'm taking part in the ‘Walk Your Way’ which I’m doing with family in the North East, by walking around Holy Island Lindisfarne on 10th October. 

St Peter's Hospice is Bristol's ONLY adult hospice caring for local people with life-limiting illnesses. I want to do my bit, and allow other families to have the same support we had in my Dads final days.