Please support City Hospice to continue to care for terminally ill patients at the heart of the Cardiff community. 

Last year my wonderful group of friends took part in the first City Hospice Sparkle Walk. We walked 10k and lit up Cardiff. It was poignant being on the first anniversary of my husband Mike's funeral. We laughed and cried and importantly had the opportunity to remember Mike and raise money for City Hospice.It was a very special event.

This year the Sparkle Walk was due to take place  on 19th September but has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We decided we wanted to do something instead to help City Hospice and as a focus to help me through these tricky weeks in August/September reliving the nightmare of this time 2 years ago. So a group of us (all 18) have decided that we'll walk 59 miles between 1st-19th September finishing our challenge on what would have been the day of the Sparkle Walk!.

Why 59 miles? Well Mike was born in 1959 and was 59 when he devastatingly passed away.

We're fitting our walks in around our busy lives juggling work and families and will be doing short walks individually and in small groups  and then on the 3 weekends in September we will be coming together for longer walks. We'll complete our challenge on 19th September with some Sparkle (the sort you put in a glass!) and a toast to Mike and Mum.

The work of City Hospice has not stopped during the pandemic. Patients are still facing terminal and life limiting illnesses and the fantastic team have remained in the community caring for patients when they need it most. What has stopped though is the fundraising events and activities and only now are shops starting to slowly re-open. This has had a significant impact on the income of the hospice and we want to help .

The care is exceptional. Not only did Mike receive the most fantastic care, my Mum sadly passed away 10 months ago too and was a patient of the hospice and unbelievably my mother-in-aw is now also a patient.  From looking after the patient to supporting families the compassion and care is exceptional and we will be forever grateful. Having been terrified at first hearing the word "Hospice" it soon became our safe place - the team really are Angels on Earth.

We appreciate times are tough right now and if you can spare a pound or two we'd be very grateful. If you can't we understand but please  join me and the Sparkle Sisters in remembering the wonderful husband, dad, son,  brother-in-law, uncle and friend Mike was as we reach the second anniversary of losing him.

Thank you

Amanda and all the Sparkle Sisters xx