Cheryl Stow, Staff Nurse at St Barnabas Hospice, took part in last year’s Moonlight Walk Stamford along with colleagues, Majella Wright (Staff Nurse) and Amanda Payne (Health Care Support Worker). The three ladies walked the 10km route around Stamford to help raise some much-needed money and awareness for the Hospice.
Cheryl said:
“I took part in the Moonlight Walk Stamford in support of all of my patients. I chose to participate to help raise awareness of the amazing work the Hospice does, and because it’s a fantastic event which is local to those who work in the south of the county.
“The atmosphere on the night was great. People were so friendly and open to sharing their hospice care stories with each other, and the event just felt very inclusive. I know that our Events team have helped people take part in Moonlight Walks before in wheelchairs, so there’s a real mix of people who get involved.
“Money raised from events like the Moonlight Walk Stamford is so crucial to St Barnabas, as it helps us care for more people across Lincolnshire who are living with a life-limiting or terminal illness. We also support the families and carers of our patients, so the amount of lives we have touched is incredible. I work in the Hos
pice at Home team, which is a commissioned service. However, Hospice at Home is supported by, and only able to run as a result of charitable giving to St Barnabas, such as people taking part in fundraising events like this.
“I have so many memories that stand out from working at St Barnabas, but I particularly love going into situations that people are struggling with and making things better so that they can cope. It’s amazing to meet such a variety of amazing people in my job, and I get to witness such compassion, humility and grace in both patients and their families.
“I decided I wanted to work in palliative care when I was working in a nursing home. I realised that I get a lot of satisfaction from supporting people and their families and the end-of-life. It was a relative saying that I had “made the unbearable bearable” one shift that made me seriously look at palliative care. From there, I accessed some free courses and learned as much as I could before applying for the role at St Barnabas.
“This year’s Moonlight Walk Stamford looks amazing, as the team have introduced ‘Moonlight Walkies,’ where they are inviting people to bring their dogs along completely free of charge. I would highly recommend those thinking of signing up to do it. It’s great fun, not too challenging and anyone can have a go.”
It’s not too late to sign up to this year’s Moonlight Walk Stamford. People aged 11+ can sign up at www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/moonlight-walk-stamford-2019.