Theme: Fundraising

St Ann’s staff, volunteers and supporters are gearing up for one of the hospice’s more adventurous challenges of the year.

The Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge taking place on Saturday, June 7 will see a number of experienced and amateur hikers take on a picturesque challenge while also raising funds for St Ann’s Hospice.

Volunteer in the Being You Centre at St Ann’s Hospice, Joan Hargreaves is taking on the challenge because she is “aware of how important it is to raise much needed funds for the hospice in these very difficult financial times”.

Assistant Practitioner at St Ann’s Hospice, Rachel Bridge is also taking part in the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge along with a number of other members of the Rehab Team at the hospice. 

“I am always up for a challenge especially seeing day to day how St Ann’s support and cares for patients with life limiting conditions,” Rachel said. 

“I value the importance of fundraising for St Ann’s and I try and find ways to be as supportive and available as I can be. I love walking but I’ve not climbed any peaks, in preparation I have been trying to go on as many walks as I can in between working. 

This is my way of being ‘Bold and Brave’, wish me luck!” she added. 

Joan and Rachel will be trekking through the stunning Yorkshire Dales, conquering the peaks of Pen-y-ghent (684m), Whernside (736m), and Ingleborough (723m), all while proudly wearing their #TeamStAnns gear. 

Events Co-Ordinator for St Ann’s Hospice, Laura Hindley said the Yorkshire Three Peaks is an exciting day out for supporters of St Ann’s Hospice.  

“Join us for the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge this summer. Pen-y-ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough feature some of the most beautiful scenery in all of England. We cannot wait to welcome those taking part on the day to raise much needed funds for St Ann’s Hospice!” Laura said. 

The three peaks hike is a professionally guided tour with Qualified Mountain Leader(s) certified in mountain first aid.  

This challenge is over 24 miles (38.6km) round trip route including over 1500m (5,000 feet) of elevation.   

Isabel Maccabee from South Manchester is competing in the 2025 Manchester Marathon in memory of her dad, Paul. 

Paul spent his last few days at St Ann’s Hospice in Heald Green in what Isabel has described as an “incredibly important week in her life”. Isabel is now raising funds for the hospice in the lead up to the marathon. 

The Manchester Marathon is one of the largest sporting events in the United Kingdom with over 36,000 runners expected to take part this year. 

“Running has always been a part of my life. This is an ultimate challenge for me. My dad ran a marathon at one point in his life and I think knowing that, I’ve always had it in my mind that I was going to run a marathon at some point in my life,” Isabel said. 

Isabel is proud to be from Manchester and says competing in the marathon on home soil is a brilliant experience. 

In a cathartic turn of events, the Manchester Marathon ends in a place that holds great meaning to both Isabel and her dad. 

“The last leg of the race is down Oxford Road, by the University of Manchester, which is where dad worked for years before he died. He project managed the creation of Brunswick Park where the finish line is at. It’s a great reminder on the day of what I’m running towards and for.” 

Paul was diagnosed with cancer a week before the first lockdown of the Covid-19 epidemic in March of 2020, he spent the next few months in and out of hospital during Covid and died at St Ann’s Hospice in September 2020. 

“For us, as a family, that week that he was here was so important because during those months, my mum, sister, and I were very much carers. We had a lot of special moments with him, of course, but it felt that we were nurses and every other role under the sun to meet his needs, and make him as comfortable as possible,” she said. 

“Particularly towards the end, we just couldn’t manage it anymore. We couldn’t have kept him home any longer, although we wanted to. Being in St Ann’s was such a relief because as soon as we got here, you could tell he was more relaxed as he was being treated in ways we weren’t able to. 

“I remember he was given a proper shave and looked after; he was a very ill man but he looked so much fresher and happier in that time,” she added. 

Isabel continued. “For us it took such a load off our backs with the thoughts of remembering medication, and everything else we needed to do for him because St Ann’s dealt with it all for us. 

“We were able to be there and talk to him or read stories to him when he couldn’t communicate back. That felt to us, as the best way it could have been in his final week, a horrific week in so many ways, but St Ann’s made it so much easier. 

“I think it is possible to have a good death, and I feel like that is what we managed to have here in this hospice, because they allowed us to take a step back and just be people,” Isabel said. 

In memory of her father, Isabel has set up a Just Giving page to fundraise for St Ann’s Hospice, if you would like to donate to Isabel’s cause, or to learn more about the reasons she is running the marathon, you can visit her page, here. 

After taking part in two Manchester Marathons, Craig Weatherill from Manchester is seeking a new challenge by running in the world’s largest, single day fundraising event, the London Marathon. 

Craig will be raising funds for St Ann’s Hospice who cared for his dad, Ken. 

“I love running,” Craig said. “I’m one of the sad people who enjoys it. 

“I’ve never ran the London Marathon before, but St Ann’s have given me the opportunity to do it and so I’m going to raise some money,” he added. 

Craig says he would encourage anyone to get into running, claiming it’s a great way of “clearing your head”. 

“So just pace yourself, it’s a good way of keeping fit. The best part about it is socialising. I started running for my mental health,” he said. 

Craig’s dad was initially diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013 where his treatment was successful and according to Craig, he went back to a normal life, becoming a granddad a few times over again. 

In 2015, Ken’s cancer returned, this time in the form of a brain tumour. “After surgery to remove the tumour and Radiotherapy treatment Dad fought back and made amazing progress. He was on the road to recovery, or so we thought,” Craig said. 

The brain tumour reappeared in 2017. More surgery followed and then the tumour reappeared again in 2018. Unfortunately, it was decided that it was too dangerous to operate. 

Ken went through chemotherapy treatment at Wythenshawe Hospital and a radiotherapy treatment at the Christie in Manchester. 

“Sadly, the tumour didn’t go away, and dad deteriorated,” Craig said. 

Ken was initially admitted to St Ann’s in Heald Green in the autumn of 2019 for pain management and was later released. In February 2020, he had a chest infection and was admitted once again to St Ann’s. 

“He passed away on the 23rd of March, almost five years ago now. He fought everything so well, he always kept going,” Craig said. 

Craig said he felt strange when his dad was first admitted to St Ann’s Hospice but by the time his dad had passed, he felt that he had to give something back to the hospice. 

“They were truly amazing. The support from the staff, they were so friendly and professional but they also felt like family and friends,” he said. 

Craig has officially launched his marathon campaign, and you can donate to his cause or learn more about his reasons for running the marathon here, via his Just Giving page. 

Two St Ann’s supporters are running a marathon each in memory of their dads who were cared for by the hospice – Can you help them raise the distance of two marathons? 

Isabel Maccabee and Craig Weatherill both from Manchester are raising funds for St Ann’s as they get ready for the challenge of running a marathon. 

Isabel will be running the Manchester Marathon while Craig will be making the journey down to the London Marathon. Both events take place on the same day, Sunday, April 27. 

Since the racers will be running a combined distance of 84k, St Ann’s are rallying support behind them and asking the public to help raise £8.4k.  

Events coordinator at St Ann’s Hospice, Laura Hindley commented. 

“Isabel and Craig are undertaking a remarkable challenge in running 26.2 miles (approx 42 kilometers) each. They are providing St Ann’s with fantastic support in raising money for ongoing care for our hospice. To thank them for undertaking this impressive feat, we are asking the public to get behind them and help them cross the line by matching their distance in fundraising.” 

Isabel’s dad, Paul was cared for by St Ann’s Hospice in his final week in September 2020. He was diagnosed with cancer in March of that year. 

“For us, as a family, that week that he was here was so important because during those months, my mum, sister, and I were very much carers. We had a lot of special moments with him, of course, but it felt that we were nurses and every other role under the sun to meet his needs, and make him as comfortable as possible,” she said. 

Craig’s dad, Ken had returning battles with cancer over the course of seven years. A returning brain tumour in 2018 was deemed too dangerous to operate on. 

He was admitted to St Ann’s in autumn of 2019 for pain management and was released. He returned in early 2020 due to a chest infection and passed away at the hospice on March 23, 2020. 

“Dad fought everything so well, he always kept going… St Ann’s were truly amazing. The support from the staff, they were so friendly and professional, but they also felt like family and friends,” Craig said. 

St Ann’s will be hosting a cheer point for the Manchester Marathon outside the St Ann’s Hospice charity shop in Altrincham, anyone who would like to take part in cheering Isabel and our other runners on please email events@sah.org.uk 

You can support our runners by donating online to their individual Just Giving pages. You can find Isabel’s by clicking here, and Craig’s by clicking, here. 

The current St Ann’s Hospice site in Heald Green only has six private rooms with the other beds on larger shared wards. The new hospice includes 21 individual rooms that open onto a private courtyard. 

Marcella Turner, founder and chief executive officer of Can-Survive UK, a charity that supports people living with or affected by cancer, experienced the care in St Ann’s when her family member was admitted to the hospice. Here she witnessed firsthand the difference a private room made to her family as her loved one was the end of their life. 

“We were given a shared ward that wasn’t in use at the time, and we were told we could occupy that space for the duration of our stay at St Ann’s, Marcella said. 

“No one else was admitted so we had full use of the space for ourselves, which as a large family was welcome. We have a Jamaican background and from a cultural point of view, when a loved one is coming to the end of life, then it is traditional for the family members to stay with them throughout the process until they pass. 

Marcella believes that the 21 private, individual rooms in the new hospice building is a “wonderful way forward”. 

“Families should have that privacy when they are saying goodbye to their loved ones. I think being in a ward where people may be at different stages, may be upsetting for other people. It’s showing St Ann’s Hospice are trying to meet the individual’s needs and particularly in terms of cultural appropriateness, as every culture has different ways of saying goodbye.”