Farleigh launches our Light Up A Life appeal
Farleigh Hospice is inviting anyone who has lost a loved one to share their memories as the festive season approaches.
As well as providing free hospice care to people affected by life-limiting illnesses across mid-Essex, Farleigh offers bereavement support to adults and children – so we understand that the build-up to Christmas can be a particularly difficult time for anyone who has lost someone special.
This month, we are launching our annual Light Up A Life appeal, offering everyone the chance to remember their loved ones at eleven special remembrance services across mid-Essex in November and December, and to make a donation.
It costs over £21,271 every day to provide our services. The money raised through the Light Up A Life appeal will help us to continue this free care and support throughout Christmas and into 2023 for more people like Nick and Susie.
We cared for Nick’s wife Susie, aged 39, during the final weeks of her life, making her comfortable and giving their family precious time together before she died. We are continuing to support Nick and their two young sons through our bereavement services.
Nick explained, “My wife, Susie, was told that she had inoperable cancer in October last year. She spent a week at Farleigh Hospice in Chelmsford in January and then was readmitted for end of life care in February.
“Words can’t express how grateful I am for the care and support that we’ve received from Farleigh Hospice, which was unbelievably good. It really is 24-hour care – Susie didn’t have to wait to see a doctor and we saw the same friendly, nurses every day. They really understand your worries, so you don‘t have to explain yourself.
“The care team always knew what to do. Ever since her first day at Farleigh, Susie was never in pain from her cancer. She knew that help would be instant and that was a comfort to us both.
“Because the care team at Farleigh were open and honest about end of life, we could finally accept that there wouldn’t be some last-minute treatment for Susie - so we made the most of our final days together.
“The doctors and nurses always made Susie feel like she was the most important person, not just a patient. They took away her pain and made her smile. Farleigh gave Susie precious time with me, the boys and our family so we could say goodbye and I cannot thank them enough.”
Since Susie died in February, Nick and his family and friends have taken on a range of sporting challenges and organised a ball to celebrate what would have been her 40th birthday as well as Farleigh’s 40th year, raising over £33,000 for this charity.
He is encouraging people to support the Light Up A Life appeal to help others needing our care in the future.
He added, “It costs so much to run a hospice and Farleigh is a charity, relying on public support. If it wasn’t for people fundraising before me, Susie wouldn’t have received care at Farleigh and there wouldn’t be any bereavement support for me and our sons.”
You can make a donation to the Light Up A Life appeal here.
To read Nick and Susie's story in full, click here.
For more information on our Light Up A Life appeal and remembrance services, click here.