Beth’s Breakwater swim for St Luke’s

19th July 2024

Swimming for St Luke’s

A daughters love of the sea and memories of her father paved the way for an inspiring challenge.

Back in July 2022, Beth Tindall-Jones’ father spent his final week at our specialist unit, receiving care after being diagnosed with stomach cancer.

Now, two years on, Beth and her two friends Ellie and Ellen completed the challenging Breakwater swim last weekend in aid of St Luke’s and in memory of Beth’s father.

In memory of Dad

“Sea swimming was a particular comfort to me in Dad’s last week,” Beth says, “and it was something we often talked about when I visited him. He always encouraged and took great delight in my love of the sea, so it will be a wonderful way to honour him – swimming back to the shore of Mount Batten where he spent his last days.”

Beth and her friends were treated to blue skies as they completed the 3.2km swim from Plymouth breakwater to Mount Batten on Sunday, raising over £1,500 for St Luke’s.

Beth, a PhD student in Marine Biology, has always loved the ocean, growing up with her mum and dad and two brothers in Tavistock, her childhood was filled with coastal walks and trips to the beach, memories with her father that she has always held on to.

“My dad was an incredibly patient and kind man, who had a deep faith in Christianity. He was an incredibly hard worker in both his professions and role as a father. He would do anything for his children, even driving over 8 hours to see me and my brother at university twice a year. Dad was always passionate about my chosen career of marine biology and did everything he could to help me on my way. I have many happy and special memories of my dad, mostly involving long coastal or Dartmoor walks talking about life and faith and admiring the views.”

Beth, Ellie and Ellen regularly swim on their lunch break and decided that they wanted to complete the swim and fundraise for St Luke’s as a way of saying thank you for the care Beth’s dad and her family received.

St Luke’s full circle of care

It was during Beth’s dad’s time at our specialist unit that Beth and her family’s eyes were opened to the full circle of care that St Luke’s provides.

“St Luke’s gave my parents pre-bereavement support, helping them to understand the process of terminal cancer,” Beth describes. “Dad stayed at the hospice during his last week. This week was an incredible blessing to my family. Having a calm and beautiful space where we could all be together and take it in turns to see Dad when he was well enough was invaluable.

“The staff were so caring and made Dad as comfortable as possible, the little details like playing his favourite music and letting him watch his favourite films made such a difference.

“The staff were also very supportive of our family at this time which was so kind of them. It was invaluable to have support through such a difficult and unknown time. It felt so nice to talk to someone who really understood what I was going through.

She recalls: “The hospice provided a peaceful and safe environment for our family to see Dad, as well as space to wait with one another when he needed rest. The kind of care he received there was truly remarkable. The staff were immensely caring, not only to Dad but to my family as well.

“At one particularly challenging moment one of the nurses paused to give me a hug and I cried in her arms in the corridor. It was amazing to receive such empathy in a situation they must be so used to.”

Thank you

The Breakwater swim was organised by the Chestnut Appeal. The trio decided to donate the first £250 that they raised to the Chestnut Appeal with anything else they manage to raise going straight to St Luke’s. They have already well surpassed their fundraising target thanks to the wonderful support of their friends and families.

The money they have raised will enable our teams to provide a whole spectrum of care to patients and their families, giving them the chance to make special memories in the last weeks and days of life, just like Beth and her father.

Sponsor Beth, Ellie and Ellen

Related articles

, ,

BLOG: Lighting the way: businesses back city’s summer art trail and auction in aid of local hospice care

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.
, ,

Cultivating care: The volunteers who keep our hospice gardens blooming

If you ever visit our specialist unit at Turnchapel one of the first things you will notice are the carefully cultivated gardens surrounding the hospice building. Every Wednesday a group of 6 volunteers have been giving up their time to dedicate some care and love to our gardens, keeping them pruned, de-weeded and full of life. Their hard work creates a peaceful, welcoming space for patients, families and staff to enjoy - a place where nature offers comfort and calm during difficult times.
, ,

BLOG: Why paramedic Jess swapped emergency sirens for hospice calm

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.”
, ,

BLOG: Ben and Sean’s two-wheeled adventure for hospice care

Sean Holland and Ben Connex are taking on an epic adventure: riding from Land’s End to John O’Groats and back - a staggering 3,200 miles - on learner-legal 125cc motorcycles! This challenge is in memory of Sean’s brother, Colin, an avid motorcyclist, who was cared for by St Luke’s. Sean and Ben met back in 1998 on the Southwest clubbing scene and have since become firm friends and fellow riders. “We have always shared a love for two wheels and when the clubbing stopped, we became born again cyclists,” said Sean, Creative Director at NexPay, our card payment provider for all our shops.
, ,

BLOG: Santa, songs and smiles: Making Christmas memories at St Luke’s

St Luke’s was overflowing with Christmas spirit last Friday as staff went above and beyond to create a warm and joyful evening for current patients and their loved ones, as well as families who will be missing someone special for the first time this year. Team members from across our organisation came together, giving up their own time to create a magical occasion featuring sparkling decorations, festive refreshments, Christmas music and live seasonal songs from the Burraton Boys and a raffle with super prizes.
, ,

BLOG: Lighting up the season: TEC Construction brings Christmas cheer to Turnchapel

Our specialist unit at Turnchapel was filled with festive cheer last week as the kind-hearted TEC Construction helped us to light up our beautiful Christmas tree - standing tall enough for our patients to enjoy its sparkle from their windows. Thanks to TEC Construction and their local subcontractors at LTC Access Platform and ACD Electrical - the night’s sky was lit up with hundreds of multi-coloured lights and a shining star sitting atop of the impressive tree - watched on by our nurses, patients, family members and members of our community including children from Hooe Primary Academy who graced everyone with a selection of beautifully sung Christmas carols.
, ,

BLOG: Community spirit shines bright as Plympton street supports St Luke’s

Residents of Redvers Grove in Plympton, Plymouth have come together to light up their street in a dazzling display of festive cheer - all to raise vital funds for St Luke’s. Each of the neighbours on the street have adorned their houses and gardens with illuminating white Christmas lights, a tradition which started 24 years ago and has since grown as more and more people have moved to the street.
, ,

BLOG: Running for care: Darite’s festive dash

Darite Primary Academy near Liskeard brought the festive cheer to the moors with their amazing Rudolph Run! From Reception to Year 6, every child loved decorating their antlers, getting active in the fresh air, and raising money for a cause close to their hearts. Supporting St Luke’s means so much to this small but mighty school community, where families know first-hand the compassionate care we provide for loved ones at the end of life.
, ,

BLOG: Decking the Halls at Turnchapel

A sprinkling of Christmas cheer has brightened up our specialist unit this week. A group of kind-hearted volunteers from Land Registry, Plymouth volunteered their time to decorate the Christmas trees that have generously been donated to St Luke’s by Blue Diamond Endsleigh Garden Centre Ivybridge. The team spent the day adding touches of tinsel and baubles to the entrance, reception and on the wards, bringing some festive joy to not only the people staying with us, but their families, visitors and all our staff and volunteers.
PreviousNext

Our Care

Support us

Courses

Information

BLOG: Steve and Bute’s priceless trip down memory laneBLOG: Historic estate opens its gardens for hospice care