Who are you walking for?

Moonlight Memories is a late night walk through the leafy suburbs of South Birmingham, now in its 3rd year the event has raised over £50,000 of vital funds for the Hospice. Here supporter Karen tells us why she supports the Hospice…

Birmignham St Marys Hospice cared for my mum 8 years ago. When the hospice was mentioned to us my mum broke down and took that to mean she was in her final days. The pain was unbearable and mum was literally stretchered into the hospice sobbing. How wrong were we? After months of pain leaving mum literally unable to move a limb, within an hour of entering Birmingham St Marys that first time, the pain team set up a plan.

10 days later mum walked out pain free.  The Hospice team not only cared for mum but supported us as a family. They helped us discuss mums wishes with her and supported her in her main aim of being able to die at home pain free. This June will be 9 years since mum very peacefully passed away, at home. The day we lost her I vowed to always support Birmingham St Marys in any way I can. I have since raised money jumping from an airplane at 15,000ft, doing a 30 mile walk, doing starlight stroll as well as other fundraisers.

I am always supported on the sponsored walks by a large group of my friends. We all have children at Lakey Lane primary school. One year we had a group of 40 mums. We always choose a theme of fancy dress for the walk.  Now our children are older they join us on the walk and last year we brought sox the raccoon to walk with us. Whatever the weather, the atmosphere is great. The highlight for me is always walking past the hospice late into the night to see patients wrapped in blankets and hospice staff stood out to cheer us on and thank us for our effort”.