“My name is Larni and my Mum, Keely, was cared for by St Clare in October 2021 and April 2022. I took on a skydive this year to raise funds for the Hospice in memory of my mum.”
“Looking back at the time when Mum was diagnosed, it was all a kind of crazy whirlwind. Mum had not been right for a long time, at least six months, before she was diagnosed. She had lots of appointments, scans and tests, but they could never quite get to the bottom of it. It was really hard, seeing her deteriorate, but no one being able to find anything wrong with her. For a long time we thought she had just slipped a disc in her back.”
Mum’s diagnosis
“I remember the day we found out Mum’s diagnosis. I was on the way to gymnastics coaching with my sister Miley, when we got a call from Dad (Lee). He just said ‘You need to come home’ and I knew that they had serious news for us about Mum.”
“When we got home Mum and Dad told us that she had lung cancer. ‘Cancer’ feels like such a scary word – you see all the adverts on TV, but it puts it in perspective when you find out your Mum has it. They told us that it was terminal, and that she couldn’t recover from it.”
“We had spent six months not knowing what was wrong with Mum, and then to find out she had terminal cancer was just a big shock. To just have it thrown at us, we no sort of pre-warning, was a shock for the whole family.”
Being at St Clare
“The main thing for our whole family, was just needing to know that Mum was going to be cared for. Dad got in touch with St Clare Hospice to see how they could help.”
“At first, you hear the word ‘hospice’ and you are worried because it’s not the nicest term. But then we came here, and I just remember driving round to the Hospice for the first time. It was really sunny, there were flowers and plants, and it just wasn’t anything like we imagined.”
“We walked in and everyone was very friendly – they were expecting us, and already knew who we were.”
“As soon as we walked in, we felt this big weight lift off us. It felt like, for the time being at least, things were going to be OK.”
“I thought people might be treading on eggshells around us, but everyone was just so normal and friendly. I think that’s just what we needed. People who would have a normal chat with us, or chat with Mum, to make everything ok in that moment.”
“Mum was getting the best possible care at the Hospice. After a few days being there she looked happier, and more rested. That meant that we could relax a bit as a family.”
“I was 18 years old at the time Mum was diagnosed, my sister Miley was 13 years old, and my older brother Sami was 20 years old.”
“I never once came in to the Hospice feeling uneasy. Obviously, at times it was hard, but I always came in knowing that we’d have someone to talk to, and that Mum would have people to talk to.”
“I am just so grateful for everything that everyone at St Clare has done for us. Without them, I don’t know what we would have done. I just don’t know how people can get through something like this without the Hospice supporting them.”
“Mum was such a strong woman, and I think it was hard for her to see her kids seeing her in such a vulnerable state. She had good days and bad times, where sometimes she was a lot weaker. But we figured out the best times of day to visit and came and saw her then.”
“Towards the end, we came in and saw Mum every day, just to be able to see her and be with her, even when she couldn’t communicate with us. We felt so at home at the Hospice. Mum with her heated blanket on, and my sister Miley going up and down in the reclining chair!”
“I think it was really important for Mum, that us kids felt comfortable being at the Hospice. It meant she could feel rested and reassured, knowing we felt happy coming to see her here.”
“Mum always just looked so peaceful and rested, and not in pain, right up until the last moment. That was just so reassuring for us. We knew she was comfortable being at St Clare, and that made it better for us.”
“Before I came to a Hospice I thought of it as a negative place, where people go at the end of their life. But having experienced it with my Mum, it’s really all about love, care and support. Having a safe space for her, and for our family.”
“In a weird way, the Hospice is actually a really positive place. It may not be somewhere that you want to be – but it’s definitely something I’m grateful for. When we needed them, St Clare was there for us. And we couldn’t be more grateful.”
Mum (Keely) died aged 48 years on the Inpatient Unit at St Clare on 30th April 2022.
Taking on a skydive for St Clare
“I decided to take on the challenge of a skydive for St Clare in memory of Mum. I have raised over £3,000 so far!”
“A skydive is something I have always wanted to do, even from a really young age. And I wanted to do something really ‘big’ for St Clare to thank them.”
“There’s nothing any of us could do to make up for what St Clare’s care meant to our family. But a skydive seemed like a big, worthy challenge to take on – as a way of saying ‘thank you’.”
“I have been overwhelmed by the amount people have sponsored me – I ended up raising over a thousand pounds in the first 24 hours! It was touching to see people sponsor me, and to see the messages people left.”
“You don’t realise how many lives St Clare has touched. People were donating and writing about the care their loved ones had – almost everyone locally has had a friend or family member helped by St Clare. It just shows how important the care is, and how it can touch your life at any time.”
“I did the skydive to raise as much money as possible for St Clare – and it has been touching to see how much people are willing to donate and support the Hospice. It’s the least I can do to thank the Hospice for the care they gave to Mum.”
– Larni
Take on your own challenge
Want to take on the heights and thrill of a skydive to raise money for St Clare? Get in touch with our Relationship Fundraising Manager Ellie Gale on 01279 773750 or email ellie.gale@stclarehospice.org.uk.