Sue Smith, a long-time hospice supporter and volunteer, recently made her will and left a gift in it for Birmingham Hospice.
Legacy income equates to 20% of our total hospice income – meaning one in five patients and their families receive our care and support thanks to gifts in wills.
Sue shares why she made the decision to leave a gift in her will.
“I’ll always remember the first time I really understood just how special the people who work in a hospice are.
“About 20 years ago, one of my close friends, only in her 30s, died in the hospice. Just before she died, I went to see her and asked her if there was anything I could do.
“She told me that she really fancied some strawberries (her favourite!). I rushed up to Sainsbury’s to get some, but when I got back quickly realised that she was just too poorly to eat them. Rather than have them go to waste, I gave them to one of the nurses. ‘I’ll be back in a few minutes,’ she said and off she went.
“She came back five minutes later with the strawberries whizzed up in a bowl to feed them to my friend with a spoon. I’ve never forgotten that.
“By being so thoughtful and going out of her way to help, that lovely nurse helped me to do one final thing for my friend before she died – and that was so important to me.
“The hospice does so much more than just care for people when they’re at the end of their journey too – they make sure they’re living the best life they can, doing things that really matter to them.
“My husband and I made our wills recently and there was no question about where I was going to leave some of my money. It’s not a huge amount, but even the smallest gift can make such a difference to everyone here.
“It would be an absolute tragedy if the hospice wasn’t here – it gives people a choice and some control over how they want to die; something that every person deserves.”
Consider leaving a gift in your will: www.birminghamhospice.org.uk/gift
