This Ramadan we have decided to raise money for St. Francis Hospice who looked after our Abbu (dad) during his last illness in 2019. 

Abbu had been diagnosed with a tumour in his spinal cord, and he was soon completely paralysed from his waist down. He was in lots of pain and discomfort. As soon as Abbu was admitted to the hospice, he felt like his pain had half gone even before he had taken any medication! There was a lovely view of the gardens in full bloom, the 5-6 nursing staff and doctors who popped by to welcome him and ask after him, the chef who came to see what he would like to eat and made sure to order in halal meat and the complementary therapies team offering Reiki and massages. 

One of the most valuable things the hospice gave was permission to talk about death and dying without shame or fear. The family support team helped us talk about difficult feelings and we have all had, and continue to have counselling from this team. 

They are all just so wonderful!

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 the hospice has not been able to raise as much money as usual, and many people who work there have lost their jobs. Your support will mean that staff members including nurses and counsellors can still continue to do their amazing work to support families just like ours.

Abbu dedicated his life and work to try to make this world a better place for all and he spent his final days writing his book on ethical leadership. We know that if Abbu were alive, he would do something to support the hospice during this difficult time.

Input from the hospice allowed him to continue his good work and live a normal life as possible for as long as possible, and when his time had come to die with dignity with all of his family around him. Please support us so that many more families who have found themselves in difficult circumstances can benefit from the hospice in years to come.

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