Hi! We’re so pleased you found our page. In March 2023, we’ll be taking on the once-in-a-lifetime challenge of trekking the Sahara Desert in memory of our handsomely heroic Harry.

This is a sponsored event for Prospect Hospice without whose superb support, our journey through a dreadful and heart-breaking situation could’ve been even worse.

Please read on to learn about Harry, the charity, the challenge and the trekkers.

About Harry

In May 2021, after an incredibly brave 13-month journey with a rare Glioblastoma Multiforme through which Harry inspirationally navigated trauma and paralysis, he passed on at home surrounded by his loving family.

Through Harry’s entire journey, Prospect Hospice supported us in a variety of different ways. Many aren’t aware of the ‘total’ service offered by hospices. They’re not only there for the patient but the whole family. Contrary to common fear and conception, Prospect focus on living, not dying. In such cases as terminal illness, their extraordinary efforts enable people to live with dignity on their own terms as comfortably as they can for however long they have left.

At the point of diagnosis, Harry was an impressively fit and strong 24-year-old about to start his army career. When rapidly paralysed by cancer, Prospect stepped up for Harry and offered their wonderfully skilled Physiotherapy team – in particular, the elegantly resilient and kind-hearted Pip. Pip’s regular home visits empowered us to implement a daily regime which brought hope back into our lives and gave Harry the strength and encouragement to live the best way he could in his circumstances. Harry’s power of gratitude grew from here as he learned to love life and led us to do the same. This gifted us many happy memories to cherish forever.

As Harry’s illness progressed, Prospect’s specialist nurses and Hospice at Home Team provided round-the-clock support to help us manage his care and pain at home, where he wished to be. They always ensured we had the right medications, equipment and training (if desired) to prepare for every eventuality as best we could. When the time came, they held our hands and carried us through, and they haven’t stopped since. Their bereavement support team have been a lifeline without which we would never have fully appreciated just how important these holistic services are for families going through similar nightmares.

About the charity

Prospect Hospice is a charity which provides all its services free of charge to a community of 300,000 people at a cost of £7.5 million a year. Only a quarter of this comes from statutory sources such as the NHS with the three-quarter majority being made up by donations from the community. As a result of COVID, statutory funding was put on a long-standing freeze, shops closed and fundraising activities were cancelled. The impact of this on the charity’s income has been severe and they have not yet recovered. In addition, NHS funding hasn’t changed for nine years making it worth far less today than it was then. With increasing need for their specialist care in the community but reduced income, the hospice will soon be forced to cut down on the number of patients and families they support even more unless they can raise an additional £600,000 a year. The idea that people – often at the scariest most isolating time of their lives - won’t have access to the support they desperately need - is utterly distressing. That’s why help is needed urgently!

About the challenge

On the week of Harry’s and Sinéad’s second wedding anniversary, Sinéad and Siobhán will embark on a journey to trek over 60km across the vast Moroccan Sahara and Atlas Mountains. The Sahara is the largest dry desert on the planet and almost as large as the United States or China. In temperatures of up to 37°C, we’ll be navigating the mixed terrain of hard, flat sun-dried plains, dried up ancient riverbeds, wide sandy dune fields and hard rocky outcrops. We’ll stop overnight to camp and endure the tent-covered toilet holes but hope to avoid the desert creatures!

About the trekkers

Sinéad, Harry’s wife, has experienced first-hand the desperate plea for help that Prospect answers to. They provided skilled advice and support enabling her to care for her soul mate - the greatest honour and privilege of her life. It’s now her greatest passion to honour Harry’s life by continuing his legacy, supporting the causes that mattered to him and giving back to those who stepped in when help was needed most. By doing so, she hopes to ensure that anybody who finds themselves in a similar desperate situation, will have the resources and people to guide them through it.

Siobhán, Sinéad’s cousin, is a nurse on a cardiac ward and has cared for patients to end-of-life stage. She understands all too well the important need for a calm and peaceful environment where both patients and families have focused personalised support – and that it’s not something the chaotic dynamic of a stretched hospital can provide. She’s supporting Sinéad in this endeavour to honour Harry because she witnessed how vital Prospect’s services were to them and are or will be for so many others.