Helen’s story

Helen has been a dedicated supporter of St. Michael’s Hospice for many years as part of Hatch Warren Runners and through personal connections. In August 2025, Helen officially joined the St. Michael’s Hospice board of trustees and kindly shared her story and experience with the Hospice:

It was over 14 years ago when I first had contact with the Hospice. My work friend was supported with end-of-life care. However, it wasn’t until the husband of a close friend of mine received support from the Hospice a couple of years later, that I started to understand the vast care the Hospice provides to our community.

My friend and I ran together, and when you run with someone, you’re next to them, so I feel you share more about your lives, than you would being sat opposite one another. I listened to my friend describe, not only the support her husband received from the Hospice, but the support they gave her and her daughters, it’s a long-standing relationship that continues to support them 12 years later. It completely changed my understanding of what hospice care is and how important it is for the community.

I then experienced that support first hand, when my aunt was cared for in March 2022 due to stomach cancer. As a family we were hugely supported by the Hospice, then and continue to be supported now.

Hatch Warren Runners started in 2013. Lots of individuals were running in the local area and we wanted to bring people together to encourage physical and mental fitness. We now have over 300 members! We are more than a running club, through strengthening relationships and promoting personal health and wellbeing, we also fundraise for local charities.

St. Michael’s Hospice is close to the hearts of many members in the running club. The club took part and helped to set up different running events the Hospice hosted over the years, including 5K and 10K runs.

Since 2022, the running club has sadly had three of our members use the Hospice. In 2020 Pete was diagnosed with MND, which is one of the worst diseases, and he was cared for by the Hospice and supported until he spent his final days as an inpatient in 2022.  He benefited from the MND support group as well as being offered incredible care in his final days throught the complex needs this awful disease brought. The end of 2024 was particularly hard for the club with two members, Jeff and Melissa, received end of life care.

Jeff was cared for in September 2024. He was such a character and made it his mission to get as many club members as possible to take part in the Hospice’s Moonlight Walk to raise funds for the charity. Thirty of us took part, dressed in blue and yellow with lots of glow sticks and sparkles. Some of our members were competing to complete the walk as quickly as possible, others were coming back from injury – so it was good for every ability. It was really good fun with a wonderful atmosphere. There were also sobering moments, talking to other people along the walk and sharing stories, and especially walking past the Hospice.

Jeff passed the morning after Moonlight Walk, knowing we had completed the walk in his name and raising funds for the Hospice that had given him such incredible care.

Further heartache followed quickly on the heels of Jeff’s passing, when only a week later, Melissa, another member of the running group, who had received care from the Hospice as an outpatient, was invited to the Hospice In-patient Unit (IPU) for her last weeks.

However, Melissa was determined to use whatever time she had to make a difference. When coming to the Hospice IPU she found out about Cuddle Beds – a specialised bed that expands to allow patients and loved ones to be close in their final moments. At the time, the Hospice only had one bed, which meant only 1 in 10 families could use it at end of life.

Melissa started a fundraiser to raise money and awareness for Cuddle Beds as she was so grateful to use it. It meant so much to her and her husband.

I’m so proud that we have raised over £16,000 to purchase a Cuddle Bed for the Hospice in Melissa’s name. It’s wonderful that, as a community, we have since raised enough funds to supply a Cuddle Bed for every room in the Hospice.

The loss of both Jeff and Melissa was extremely hard for the club community. The club has since set up a fundraising committee to continue Jeff and Melissa’s legacy. We know they would be chuffed that we are still doing as much as possible for the Hospice.

This year, we raised £2.5K for the Hospice with the Buckle Ultra Challenge that consisted of 10 teams running as many miles as possible over 8 days but with extra challenges such as wearing colours, finding Mitchell Gardens (Jeff’s last name) and much more.

For my personal development, I was looking to use my skills to give back. So, when I saw the trustee role it felt like fate to help St. Michael’s Hospice after all the support it has given to my family and friends.

We need to do all we can to make sure the Hospice is there for people now and in the future – you never know when you’ll need it.

Unless you have experience with the Hospice, it’s hard to understand how vital it is. Hospices can seem like a scary place – somewhere to die, but it isn’t like that. It’s a place of comfort, peace and allows you to make the most of the time you have with the ones you love.

Please follow the Hatchwarren Runners Club on social media to see the events we have coming up to support the Hospice.