Six weeks ago today my beloved Dad, passed away from Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), and I miss him like crazy.

The Hospice of St Francis has been an invaluable source of support and guidance to both my mother and father over the past two years. It has really made me understand so much more about palliative care and how vital it has been to guide them along their journey, and helped make Dad's last few years more bearable. This is thanks to the incredible support they have received, both from the Palliative Care team led by Dr. Sharon Chadwick, who has achieved her aim to create a Centre of Excellence for PF care within Hertfordshire, and specifically from the IPF support group run at The Hospice of St Francis for both patients and carers, creating a network of professional and peer support to everyone referred there.

My son Luca and I will be taking part in "Walk Your Ridgeway", a 13 mile half marathon walk on Sunday 11th May, in memory of Dad. We would be grateful for any sponsorship donations to help us raise as much money as possible for this local Hospice, (only one of two in Hertfordshire which currently provides an inpatient service), as well as outpatient support, plus providing unique support for patients with pulmonary fibrosis.

Every penny raised will help ensure they can continue providing palliative care and support for all terminally ill patients and their families for many years to come.

Thank you for your support,

Lauren

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The Hospice of St Francis helps over 2,000 local people who are managing, or recovering from, serious illness. We help them to live their precious life well by improving symptoms, working with them to achieve personal goals - helping them to feel safe - and anything from getting back to work, enjoying family time to walking the dogs again.

Our care takes many forms and our professional team care for people with a wide range of illnesses including cancer, motor neurone disease, dementia, heart disease, lung disease and neurological illness.

We support patients in their own homes or at the Hospice through 1:1 appointments or group sessions in our Spring Centre or through our 24/7 care in our beds on the Inpatient Unit.

By taking part in Walk Your Ridgeway, or sponsoring somebody who is taking part, you are ensuring that our free care can carry on for years. So join us as we take on 13 or 26 miles of beautiful local sights, finishing off by soaking up the views of Ivinghoe Beacon.