A FATHER-OF-TWO who has helped to raise thousands of pounds for charity after losing his wife to cancer has been hailed as “inspirational”.
Sean Collins became the face of St Giles Hospice’s Urgent Appeal following the death of his wife Felicity in November 2023.
His story has helped drive the fundraising campaign which has raised £336,000 for the Whittington-based charity.
Sean recently met with Lichfield MP Dave Robertson where he told him about the support provided by St Giles.
The Labour MP said:
“It was great to meet Sean and hear about his personal experience with St Giles Hospice.
“It is incredible to think that despite going through such a traumatic experience, Sean has found the strength to lead this funding appeal.
“We should also recognise the generosity of everyone who has sacrificed some of their hard-earned cash to support the hospice.”
The meeting comes as it was confirmed St Giles Hospice would receive an extra £213,000 as part of a £25million national investment in hospice facilities.
It follows the charity being forced to slash the number of staff it employs and the amount of inpatient beds it can offer as it battles a financial gap.
The charity currently receives 18% of its funding from the NHS, meaning it has to rely heavily on donations in order to go on providing vital care.
Mr Robertson added:
“I’m delighted to see the Government backing St Giles. The additional money will help to pay for upgrades and refurbishments at the hospice.
“There is much more to do, but this announcement shows we are on the side of St Giles and the families it supports.”
Mr Collins said:
“Meeting with Dave gave me the opportunity to share not only my personal story, but also highlight the incredible care St Giles provides to families across our community.
“The hospice was there for Felicity and our family when we needed them most, providing dignity, compassion and support during the most difficult time of our lives.
“I’m pleased to see this additional Government funding coming through, though we know much more is needed. With so much of St Giles’ funding coming from the local community through various means, their continued support is absolutely crucial.
“I’m grateful for everyone who has supported our Urgent Appeal and to Dave for taking the time to listen and understand why this cause means so much to me and countless other families.”
For more details about supporting the Urgent Appeal, visit www.stgileshospice.com/urgent-appeal.