Becky's story

Becky is taking part in the Moonlight Walk this year in memory of her dad, Paul, who was cared for by our Hospice@Home team at the end of last year after being diagnosed with advanced melanoma.

“It was my dad’s decision to remain at home”, Becky says. “We didn’t know how that would look initially, but the team at St Leonard’s were just brilliant in talking us through how it would be and what support we’d receive as a family.

“We were worried that once my dad wasn’t able to get out of bed anymore, we wouldn’t know what we’d be able to do for him. We didn’t want to leave my mum to care for him on her own, but we felt very reassured by St Leonard’s. We couldn’t have asked for anything more.

“The Hospice@Home team came in the mornings and evenings, and then they started to come in between to top up Dad’s medication. It’s all these kinds of things that we didn’t even know we’d have to think about at this stage because his illness was so rapid.

“When they arrived, the St Leonard’s team would check on our family as well to make sure that we were doing OK and ask if there was any other support that we needed. There were times where I would get so overwhelmed and upset, and the nurses would take me outside and just check that I was OK. They really do care.”

The Moonlight Walk will be the first time that her family have supported St Leonard’s together, but Becky’s already a regular supporter of the Hospice through her employer, York Gin.

“As a company, we often take part in the Accumulator Challenge, and we’ve had great success in the past. Our shop in the centre of York also has a collection tin, and we created a special gin in 2020 for the Hospice’s 35th anniversary.

“York Gin has been around since 2018, and I know a lot of colleagues have family members that have been supported by St Leonard’s. It’s close to our hearts, and so any chance that we get to help the Hospice, we will.”