Show me YOUR money!

As many of you know my mum passed away nearly 12 years ago. Anybody who has lost a parent or somebody close to them, knows that the feeling of loss never really goes away. I look at my beautiful son and gives me a heavy heart to know that he will never feel the love my mum would have given him.

After spending some time in hospital with terminal cancer, the decision was made to move her to a hospice for her to spend her final days in more comfortable circumstances. She was moved to Wheatfields Hospice located in Headingly.

I remember well, the first thing they said to mum when she arrived was "Hello Ms Jenkins, what can we do to make you more comfortable". Her answer was to remove a tube which had been inserted up her nose to help with her feeding. They removed the tube immediately and straight away we could see a massive improvement in her mood. She smiled for the first time in a long time.

The staff at Wheatfields not only helped my mum through a very difficult time, but they also helped us, her children. Simply knowing she was being taken care of was a relief. We were very appreciative, that she was able to live her final days in a friendly environment where she had meaning rather than in a hospital ward, where she would feel like just another patient.

I believe if it was not for the great people at Wheatfields Hospice, we would have had to say goodbye to mum much sooner than we did. Although we knew the cancer was terminal, the care they provided allowed her to concentrate on enjoying the time she had with the most important people in her life, her children.

So, the reason for this post is not to simply tell you a story, it is to ask for your help. I honestly believe that charity begins at home and as you can see Wheatfields Hospice, is very close to my heart.

I recently received an e-mail at work asking for volunteers for something called a 'Starlight Hike'. It is a 10km walk that takes place overnight and I will be taking part and raising money for a wonderful cause.

So please PLEASE donate anything you can. Even if it's a pound. That will be £1 closer to my target of at least £200.

Spread the word, tweet this blog post and help me make a little difference and hopefully the staff at Wheatfields can continue to do the amazing job they do.

For more information on the event and Charity, go to  http://www.starlighthike.org/SiteHome
To donate any money you can, please go to www.virginmoneygiving.com/LewisAckroyd

As always, thanks for reading.
Lewis