My best friend Karen and I (Claire) are entering the Great Scottish Run 10K on the 6th of October in memory of my mum, Jennifer, who passed away in May after being diagnosed with cancer in March.  Neither of us are particularly fit or sporty, so this is a real challenge for us and we have been training hard in preparation!    We will be raising funds for the Highland Hospice and hope you will support us with a donation if you are able to do so - thank you! :-)  

After her diagnosis, mum spent a week in the care of Highland Hospice, where the staff were able to get her symptoms under control so that mum could then return home to the care of her family for the remainder of the time she had left with us.  Before mum fell ill, I had a perception that Hospices are where people go to die. I now realise that isn't true, as many patients will come and go from the Hospice a number of times depending on their needs.  It means a lot to us that we were able to care for her at home right to the end and without the time she spent at Highland Hospice I don't think this would have been possible.  The staff there could take the time to assess her needs in a more holistic way, taking in the whole medical picture - something that is much more difficult to do in a hospital environment, where there are far more time restraints on the one to one care and attention that a patient can receive.  The Hospice staff are also experts in palliative care and they also provide a wide range of services which extend to more than just providing medical attention.

I am grateful to the Hospice for the help and treatment they gave mum, which gave us that extra time with her at home and alleviated some of her symptoms.  Highland Hospice enables patients to live out their life with dignity and offers support to their families and friends, both during the patient's illness and into bereavement. 

The Highland Hospice is the only hospice serving adults with incurable life limiting disease in the Highlands of Scotland.  Highland Hospice is a charity so no charge is made to patients or their families.  Approximately a third of its funding comes from the NHS, so in order to keep all of their services going, they rely on the support of the public for the remainder of their income.  Every penny raised in the Highlands contributes to the delivery of services in the Highlands.  Therefore, all donations made towards the run we are doing in mum's memory will be going to a wonderful and deserving cause which is a really important aspect of the Highland community.  Thank you to everyone who has donated! :-)