Everyone has a story. Here is mine.

Twenty-eight years ago, my dearest friend Lin died of pancreatic cancer at St Michael’s Hospice’s (SMH) inpatient unit. She was 41. It was a terrible loss, but the nurses, doctors, and volunteers at SMH made her passing as comfortable and dignified as possible. They were so full of compassion and kindness. I cannot imagine how I or her family would have coped without their support.

Twenty-five years later (nearly three years ago), my husband Spencer died at home, as he wanted, after a long battle with lung cancer. His wish to live out his last days in his home would not have been possible without the support of SMH (and our local GP). SMH provided an incredible outreach service, visiting us at all hours of the day, providing Spencer with pain relief, emotional support, and care. Again, I don’t know how we could have got through this difficult time
without them.

SMH provides help for people when they need it most and are a shining light in end-of-life care. As well as their in-patient unit and outreach service, they provide bereavement counselling, wellbeing services and spiritual support, all of which help families who are dealing with dying, death, and loss beyond measure.  

Every day, SMH needs £14,400.00 to provide their services. The NHS provides one third of their total incomes as grants, but they must find the rest of that funding through donations. They’re a small, local charity, supporting the Hastings and Rother area. They don’t have the reach or the resources of national charities and finding that funding is tough.

That’s where you come in. My goal is to raise £14,400.00 for this incredible service. With your help, I may reach my target, and fund another day of vital care for SMH.

This September, I will be walking The Freedom Trail (or ‘Chemin de la Liberté’). This demanding 6-day trek will take me through the Pyrenees, following one of the toughest WW2 escape routes from Nazi-occupied France into Spain. The trail is steep and arduous, and at the age of 62, it’s an ambitious challenge for me, but I’ve been training hard! Whenever the going gets tough, I will think of Lin and Spencer, and I know I will find the strength to keep going.   

Please, please, please, give whatever you can. Your sponsorship means the world to me, and to St Michael’s Hospice. Whatever you can spare will be the most amazing help towards achieving my target - every penny counts.

I will be keeping everybody posted on my journey, and on my progress to my target. Wish me luck!

Martine Blaser-Smart