After being admitted to St Luke’s specialist unit to manage the complex symptoms of her stage four cancer, Aimee Sumner was really missing date nights with her husband, Dan.
So when she asked if it was possible to set up something at the hospice, the team pulled out all the stops to create a memorable soiree for the couple.
The streets of Plymouth were buzzing with warmth and togetherness as a record 2,750 big‑hearted men pounded the pavements for Men’s Day Out 2026, raising much‑needed funds for St Luke’s. After an icy start to the day, brilliant sunshine greeted the crowds as they gathered at Plymouth Albion’s Devonport rugby ground before setting out on a compassion-fuelled 12km hike through the city.
Glamorous singing star, TV character actress, inspirational and loving mother, vivacious and supportive grandmother and great grandmother, Jean Dike lived her extraordinarily full life with dignity, elegance and grace until the very end.
One of Plymouth’s best-loved entertainers and matriarch of a large, unconventional, artistic family, she embraced several identities during her lifetime.
As His Majesty reached out to grasp my hand, the significance of the momentous occasion suddenly hit me. There, in the historic hallows of St George’s Hall, as the sun set behind Windsor Castle, not only was I meeting King Charles face-to-face, but I was bestowed with a right royal opportunity to sing St Luke’s praises to the gothic-beamed rafters in the most illustrious company possible…
Sometimes, life is not as long as we expect, or hope it will be. Receiving a terminal diagnosis can feel shattering on every level. Yet with tenderness, the utmost sensitivity – and kindness that never wavers – the right care and support can bring peace to an anxious mind and soothe a frightened heart.
At Turnchapel, where talented artist Josie is a patient, she is surrounded by those who matter most to her: husband Laith – her ‘rock’ – and their two bright, beautiful girls, Becca, aged 10, and Sophie, 6…
Plymouth’s business community is charting a course for hope, coming together to support St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth’s Guiding Lights, a major public art trail and auction set to illuminate the city this summer.
Recently, representatives from local businesses and other organisations gathered at the National Marine Aquarium to select their favourite lighthouse designs from over 90 submitted by talented artists from Plymouth and further afield. Together, they cast their votes for the designs they most want to see the artists bring to life as full-scale sculptures. Their choices will help shape a trail of striking lighthouses that will shine across Plymouth and beyond this summer, attracting visitors, boosting the local economy, and symbolising the comfort, guidance and compassion for which St Luke’s is renowned.
At 102, retired nurse Rhoda Till is living proof that age is no barrier when it comes to volunteering for St Luke’s.
Giving back to her community is still hugely important for the former night ward sister, mother of three and great, great, grandmother who was inspired to join our charity shop team around 30 years ago when she saw how much her daughter, Rosemary, loved her weekly volunteering sessions.
“I didn’t think I would still be volunteering at 102 but I thoroughly enjoy every minute of it. It makes me feel useful and lets me enjoy a little bit of social life,” said Rhoda, who had the privilege of being introduced to the King when he paid a visit to St Luke’s in the 1990s. Then a couple of years’ ago he sent her a card for her 100th birthday.
Life as a paramedic was fast-paced, stressful and involved critical decisions every single day for Jess Timbrell. After several years of training and hands-on service on the road, she was both confident and qualified to respond in emergencies and make split-second choices to save people’s lives. But something was missing.
“I always had an interest in palliative care,” said Jess. “As a paramedic, you go out to a lot of people who are at the end of life, but you can’t spend the time you want with them because emergency demand is so high.
“It was so disheartening sitting with someone in an ambulance queue outside the hospital for hours, knowing they didn’t have long to live. And then when I did drop them off, I would never find out what happened to them.”
St Luke’s has opened the doors to its brand-new flagship store at Charles Cross – claiming the title of Plymouth’s biggest charity shop.
We have relocated our flagship furniture store from the former Toys ‘R’ Us building at Western Approach to a prime city-centre location, just yards away from shopping hub Drake Circus.
Valerie and her husband Michael have shared a lifetime together – surviving war, raising a family, and building memories that span continents. Recently, Val was diagnosed with cancer of the blood, and her greatest wish was simple: to stay at home with the man she’s loved for 66 years.
Thanks to St Luke’s, that wish came true. Our team is there every day, bringing comfort, dignity, and compassion – because home is where love lives.
“They’re just like friends coming to visit you… It helps the family too. People forget about the family.”
This is hospice care at its heart: not just caring for patients, but wrapping families in support when they need it most.
Your support is how we make moments like this possible. Thank you.
