Sue Gillies started fundraising for Blythe House Hospicecare back in 2011, after being ‘blown away’ by the care her beloved Uncle Roy received at a nearby hospice.
In 2017, Blythe House’s Hospice at Home service provided care and support to Pat, Sue’s mum, in the comfort of her home before Pat sadly died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and dementia.
Throughout the last decade, Sue has raised over £4,000 for local patient care by taking part in walking challenges, and hand crocheting beautiful animals and accessories, for donations to the hospice.
The latest in Sue’s initiatives was a Facebook Fundraiser – which accumulated £250 for the charity – to celebrate a recent ‘big’ birthday. Facebook fundraising allows people to raise money for themselves, a friend or a charity to support the causes that they care about via the social media platform.
Sue, who’s from Peak Dale, explained: ‘Back in 2005, my Uncle Roy was incredibly poorly with bone cancer. He spent nine weeks in Stepping Hill Hospital, and my mum, Pat, and I, went to see him every single day. He was a very proud and private man, was always very smart and took a great pride in his appearance. It was so sad, awful in fact, to see him unable to get out of bed to care for himself and being in so much pain.
‘Eventually we were able to get him home just before Christmas. Mum and I cared for him there before he was admitted to East Cheshire Hospice in Macclesfield for end of life care when he neared the very end of his life. I was totally overwhelmed with the care and support Uncle Roy received – the staff couldn’t do enough for us, not just him, but for Mum and I too. The care was just amazing. This is what set me off to start fundraising for local hospices.
‘In 2011, I took part in Hike the Hill, a walking challenge between Blythe House and East Cheshire Hospice. Since then, I’ve hosted coffee mornings, baked cakes, and donated money to the charity in lieu of buying Christmas cards.
‘Three years ago, I taught myself to crochet. I make all sorts of items including animals, bears, scarves, bookmarks; I also make things to order if there’s a specific item that someone wants. All I do is take out the cost of my materials, and the rest I donate to Blythe House. I don’t want to make any money, I crochet as a hobby and I love to do it.
‘This was my reasoning for setting up a fundraiser for the hospice for my recent “big” birthday. I don’t need or want anything; if I do, I am very fortunate that I am able to buy those things myself, but I am not a very materialistic person anyway. I told family and friends that I didn’t want any presents, and that I’d be donating any money that they gave to me for my birthday. Some people gave me cash in birthday cards, other people donated via the Facebook Fundraiser – raising £250 for Blythe House, which I was so pleased was £50 over my target!
‘The Hospice at Home service supported my Mum at home during the final week of her life back in 2017. When you’re caring for someone with dementia 24/7, there is no escape at all and it is so tough. The healthcare assistant took over when it was really needed – I couldn’t have done it without them.
‘We are all potential patients of Blythe House; you never know when you might need the services here. Everyone knows someone who has been affected by a life limiting illness or required hospice care, so it’s really good to support the hospice, and my little way to give something back.’
