A man whose wife spent her final days at St Giles Hospice is calling on people support a fundraising event in aid of the charity.
Karen Hine was 49 when she died after bowel cancer spread to her lymph nodes in August 2021.
She had been cared for for nine months by staff from the Whittington hospice.
Her husband Gareth is now urging people to support the annual Orange Week fundraiser, which takes place between 25th April and 1st May.
The initiative invites individuals and organisations to raise money by taking part in orange-themed activities.
Father-of-two Gareth said:
“Orange Week is a fantastic idea which gives everyone a great way to get involved in raising funds for St Giles – whether they are individuals, local businesses, clubs or other organisations.
“This fun event is about pulling together as a community to celebrate and support this vital service for local people and I would encourage everybody to sign up and take part if they can.
“St Giles provides the sort of personal, specialised care that is remarkable. We should do everything we can to make sure that the hospice is here for other families just like ours in the future when they need it.
“When Karen arrived at St Giles she was immediately given pain management support and it was just what she needed. We knew that she was getting the sort of care she wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else – it was truly unique and we were all so thankful.
“The nurses knew the family were all Aston Villa season ticket holders and they asked the club if they could do anything for the children. The kids were then presented with a shirt signed by the team, which was so kind and thoughtful. My sons were over the moon and it is the little things like that which make things more bearable for them.
“At a time in her life when Karen felt she had nowhere else to turn we found St Giles and it made such a difference. It’s just an amazing place.”
Gareth Hine
Gareth and his sons also received bereavement support from the hospice team during his wife’s final days to prepare them for their loss.
Following her death, donations from Karen’s funeral went to St Giles and Karen’s brother, Stephen Smith, took part in Cycle Autumn in 2021 to thank the hospice for caring for his sister.
Chloe Herbert, head of fundraising at St Giles Hospice, said:
“The generosity of fundraisers like Gareth and his family – and the people who take part in events like Orange Week – makes a huge difference to the work that we can do, as it costs £850,000 every single month just to keep our services going.
“Whether you’re at home, work or school, getting involved with Orange Week couldn’t be simpler. You could get up and go orange for a day or week, rock your brightest orange outfit, throw an orange themed party, or bake some tasty orange treats – and you can request our fantastic free fundraising pack for further ideas.
“Just remember to donate to St Giles at the same time.”
Chloe Herbert, St Giles Hospice
For more information or to request a free fundraising pack, visit www.stgileshospice.com/orangeweek.
