Amanda's 500 mile Camino de Santiago trek for Derry's Foyle Hospice in memory of mum

On Wednesday, August 27, Amanda Simpson set off on the challenge of walking the Camino de Santiago, as a way of raising funds for the local hospice which gave her mother, Gwendoline, a dignified death, after she could no longer care for her at home.

Amanda said Gwendoline suffered from cancer for the best part of a decade and was eventually diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. She suffered a stroke in the later stages of her illness, which resulted in paralysis on one side of her body. Gwendoline was then referred to Foyle Hospice where she was cared for as an inpatient.

Amanda explained: “My mum spent six weeks in Foyle Hospice which is much longer than the medics anticipated. This speaks volumes for the level of care which she received.

“Regarding The Camino, it is traditionally a pilgrimage and a spiritual journey, but I also want to look at it as a way of raising funds to express my gratitude for the care my mother received at Foyle Hospice in her final weeks. Foyle Hospice provided my Mum with a sense of calm and reassurance as she approached death, and she died peacefully.”

Gwendoline was a mother of three and worked as a Medical Receptionist at Causeway Hospital for 20 years. Amanda said: “My mum was a kind, caring and generous person, who loved fun and appreciated every act of kindness shown to her by others. When she received her terminal cancer diagnosis, she thanked the doctor for their help with her treatment. This reflects the type of person she was.”

She continued: “When I learned that the hospice relies on the local community to raise approximately 65% of its funding, I was genuinely shocked. Under these circumstances, the hospice cannot commit to continuity of service provision because budget holders do know how much money will be generated by public donations. I want to use this fundraiser to highlight the need for adequate funding of palliative care services and to advocate for increased provision. We should not continue to under-fund a service which does so much for people in our community and where our loved ones can be cared for in a humane and dignified way.”

Amanda went on to highlight the important services which Foyle Hospice offers and the quality of care her mother received. She said: “My mum received attention at any hour of the day or night, and if she was worried or anxious, the staff took time to talk to her and comfort her.”

Amanda expressed her appreciation at not only the care which her mum received, but how she was treated as a family member at Foyle Hospice saying: “Whilst I worked remotely for much of last year to look after my Mum, I still combined caring with work in London and Belfast, so I was grateful to be offered an apartment within the hospice to reduce travel and be close to my Mum. The apartment had everything I needed. The accommodation is very helpful - particularly for families who live some distance away.”

She continued: “I spent Christmas and New Year at Foyle Hospice. To my surprise, the chefs Bill and Ann presented me with Christmas dinner on Christmas Day, the pastoral staff held a Christmas service, and families found comfort in one another. I will never forget one of the nursing staff asking me how I was coping. As a carer you do not think about yourself. I was not sure how to answer but I will always remember how it made me feel: visible. The staff are special.”

Amanda expressed her thanks to those who have supported her fundraiser saying: “Thank you to everyone who has kindly donated so far. Every single penny raised from this appeal is going to benefit the hospice and other families.

“I want other families to benefit from these services like my mother and I did. None of us knows what lies ahead, and we may ourselves need palliative care in the future, so it is important to fundraise to ensure these services can continue in our community.”

You can donate to Amanda’s Camino Walk in aid of Foyle Hospice by visiting: https://www.justgiving.com/page/amanda-simpson For more information, please visit: www.foylehospice.com

Notes to Editors:

Foyle Hospice provides 9 bed spaces in its Inpatient Care Unit, as well as Day Therapy facilities, community nursing, 24/7 Advice Line and bereavement counselling services for both adults (Forget Me Not) and children (Healing Hearts).

The total annual cost of providing the services is approximately £4 million.

It costs approximately £5,000 for 24 hours of care for 9 beds in the Hospice In-Patient Care Unit.

Day Therapy: £15

1 hour of care in IPU: £30

1 hour Healing Hearts counselling session for a grieving child or teen: £35

1 Home Care Visit: £78

IPU bed cost per 24 hours: £720

Approximately 35% of overall running costs comes from SPPG with the remaining 65% of the annual costs provided through the support and generosity of the North West communities.

Foyle Hospice has been providing Hospice and Palliative Care services in the North West since 1985. We are extremely privileged to have cared for over 23,000 patients and their families to date.

Foyle Hospice provides ongoing palliative care services for patients with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, while supporting their families and loved ones throughout the Western Health and Social Care Trust area in Northern Ireland. Our commitment is to improve the quality of life of patients while extending care and support to their families and loved ones.

Media enquiries to Liz McGrotty, Public Affairs Officer at Foyle Hospice on 028 7135 9888 or email [email protected]