It's fair to say that the last 12 months haven't been the easiest for dad/Laurie! In February 2024, he fell seriously ill with acute pancreatitis, which led to a month-long stay in Hastings Hospital. Since then, his health has been in a steady decline. Between frequent hospital visits and short stays at home, his condition - complicated by ongoing issues from the bowel cancer he overcame in 2021 - has left us in a constant state of uncertainty.

His pancreatitis has worsened, and while surgery could provide a potential solution, his general frailty and extensive scar tissue from previous operations means he is not a surgical candidate (and will never be). Instead, we’ve been managing symptoms, but his health continues to deteriorate.

The frequent hospital admissions were taking a toll. Every time he’d return home, he’d get sick again, and the cycle would repeat. Following another long hospital stay - this time in Hastings - we were fortunate to secure a place for him at St Wilfrid’s Hospice in Eastbourne at the end of November. What was supposed to be a short-term stay has turned into his new home.

The hospice has been nothing short of a lifeline for all of us. Dad now has a private, comfortable room and receives exceptional, compassionate care from a dedicated team of professionals and volunteers. We’ve been able to focus on spending quality time with him, knowing he’s in the best possible hands.

St Wilfrid’s Hospice provides essential care for people facing life-limiting illnesses, supporting not just patients, but their families too. However, only 30% of their funding comes from the NHS; the rest relies on donations. It costs over £19,000 a day for St Wilfrid’s to provide this care!

That’s why I’m running the Eastbourne 1/2 Marathon on the 23rd of February. I want to raise as much as I can to support the hospice that’s made such a difference to all our lives.

Any donation, big or small, will help ensure that others can benefit from the same incredible care. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and for considering a donation.