A woman whose grandfather died at St Giles Hospice is calling on people to support the “amazing” charity which cared for him through his final days.
Martha Davis, 24, has been a passionate supporter of St Giles since her grandfather Alan Bird received end of life care at the Whittington hospice.
As well as fundraising, the NHS communications officer, also joined the weekly lottery – and was delighted to receive a phone call confirming she’d won £1,000.
“Grandpa always wanted to give me a bit of pocket money, even after I’d started earning a wage, as he was worried about whether I had enough cash after I’d graduated.
“I like to think that he’s looking out for me even now and used the lottery as a way to make sure I’m alright even though he’s no longer here.
“I was lucky enough to win the weekly jackpot prize not long after signing up, which was completely unexpected. It’s helped me towards a house deposit and it’s so nice to think that a donation in memory of my Grandpa has enabled me to do something I know he would have wanted.
“St Giles is such an amazing local charity and they recognise that good end of life care is so important, not only for the patient, but for the whole family too.
“My Grandpa had been there for me all my life, and it means so much that I was able to be there with him in the last moments of his. It’s the moments together that matter the most.”
Martha Davis
“I absolutely worshipped my Grandpa”
Alan was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and was admitted to the hospice for end of life care.
Martha said she was devastated by his illness but was comforted by the “truly personal care” her grandfather received and the support offered to the family.
“I absolutely worshipped my Grandpa and the staff understood that and treated him just as our family would’ve wanted.
“It’s hard to express just how much the amazing care meant to us as a family. You simply can’t put a price on the love, support and peace of mind that we all received.
“When we left the hospice we never had to worry – we always knew that Grandpa would be cared for just as attentively and lovingly as though we ourselves were still at his bedside.
“We could concentrate on being with Grandpa until the end, knowing that all his needs were taken care of and, when the time came, we were given all the time we needed to say goodbye to him and begin to grieve.
“It’s vital for everyone to support St Giles; you just never know when you might need their care.
“Nobody plans on becoming seriously ill, nobody plans on dying, but because of the support of the local community, St Giles can be there for patients and families when they’re at their most vulnerable.”
Martha Davis
More information about how to support St Giles Hospice is available at www.stgileshospice.com.
Chloe Herbert, head of fundraising at St Giles Hospice, said:
“The support of local people means so much to the patients and families supported by St Giles, particularly when our income has been so badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic over the last 18 months.
“There are so many different ways to support St Giles and we’d like to say a big thank you to our community for ensuring that we are able to provide care for patients and their families living with a terminal illness.
“We are hoping our community will be there for us again this summer.”
Chloe Herbert
