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Hannah’s story

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In Hannah’s words this is her story:

“At the age of 35, approaching the last few weeks of maternity leave with our second child I had emergency surgery for a ruptured ovarian cyst. On examination under the microscope the cyst was found to be cancerous, and to have originated in the bowel, not the ovary. I was diagnosed with bowel cancer with metastases in the abdomen and pelvis.”

“Unfortunately for me the cancer was very advanced, aggressive and progressing quickly. I had pre-operative chemotherapy, pioneering surgery (complete cytoreduction), and post-operative chemotherapy, and a further second-line chemotherapy treatment but the cancer persisted and progressed.”

“Now, two years on, aged 37, I have been told there are no more curative treatment options and I have weeks-months to live. I will leave behind my husband, and my two girls aged 2 and 4 years.”

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity
“So far I have been using the Inpatient Unit for periods of respite when things have become too difficult at home. The environment provided is a home-from-home where my needs are addressed by caring professionals and a host of brilliant volunteers. The whole family are welcomed, offered help and included during difficult times. ”

“I now see and feel that Arthur Rank Hospice Charity does so much for people in similar situations, I would like to help them with the work they do as they are reliant on donations.”

“Arthur Rank Hospice Charity supports people in Cambridgeshire who are living with life-limiting illness. Their care and services are provided free of charge to patients, to help them and their loved ones to make every moment count.”

“Arthur Rank Hospice Charity delivers vital care to over 1000 patients each year through its specialist palliative Inpatient Unit, Day Therapy and Hospice at Home services.”

“The Charity also provides broader services which include the Specialist Palliative Care Home Team, the Alan Hudson Day Treatment Centre in Wisbech,  patient and family support (including counselling, bereavement and spiritual support), lymphoedema care, complementary therapy, pain management clinic, transport services and small grants; which collectively provide more than two thousand further episodes of care to patients.”

My Goal
“I would like raise as much money as possible for this worthy charity. Examples of how donations would be used include:
£1040 could pay for 4 nights of Hospice at Home care for a patient,
£1100 is the cost for a syringe driver to help with mobile pain control.”

In Memory
Hannah sadly passed away before her Ceilidh could take place however; the event went ahead in her memory.

Donations flooded in, absolutely smashing her target and raising an incredible £17,000 for the hospice.

These funds will help us care for more patients and their families either at our hospice in Cambridge or in their own home. For example with these funds we could:
• Open Living Well for 7 days (£10,955)

• Fund 7 episodes of Hospice at Home between the hours of 10pm & 7am (£1,820)
• Fund 2 syringe drivers to help with mobile pain control (£2,200)
• Provide 1 years worth of patient toiletries (£860)
• Fund 21 counselling sessions for a patient or their family member (£630)
• Fund 1 months cost of ingredients for patient mealtimes (£420).

Thank you so much to Hannah’s friends and family who decided to continue with Hannah’s decision to support the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, we are extremely grateful.