If there’s one gift you can give us over this new year, it’s five minutes of your time to share your thoughts about our services.
We’re proud of the compassionate end of life care we provide for our patients and their families. But we’re always seeking to improve and make sure we’re meeting the needs of our local community, where progressive frailty is overtaking cancer as a major factor in our ageing population.
That’s why we’d like your feedback as we look ahead to the kind of services that we should be providing over the next three years. Whether you’ve had experience of St Luke’s care, you support us through fundraising or you’re a customer in our shops, your opinion matters to us.
Would you answer a few key questions to confirm that we’re heading in the right direction?
As a thank you, we ran a draw to win tickets to a Plymouth Argyle match of your choice and we are pleased to announce the winner is Peter Wilson. Thank you to everyone who has completed the survey already.
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Strategy-Survey-Call-to-Action-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2024-01-02 11:48:062024-01-18 14:25:14Survey: Please will you help us shape our future?
St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth’s end of life Urgent Care Team ventured across the Tamar last week to visit their first patient at home in East Cornwall as part of a pilot service running until the end of March 2024.
We followed senior health care assistant Bee Daniels and nurse Jo Davis as they went to meet a very grateful Paul Treeby and his daughter, Jude Kitt.
It’s less than half a kilometre from one side to the other but crossing the Tamar Bridge represented a significant milestone for St Luke’s pilot East Cornwall Urgent Care Service.
Until last week it had been a bridge too far for the hospice’s “at home” teams who already clock up more than 80,000 miles a year taking our specialist care to the doorsteps of patients in Plymouth and surrounding areas of West and South Devon.
In a ground-breaking move, a four-month trial service has been launched to visit end of life patients and their families at home in a largely rural stretch from Saltash to Torpoint and the Rame Peninsula, up the Tamar Valley towards Callington and Launceston and across to Liskeard.
Patients in this area have benefited from St Luke’s care at Derriford Hospital and in the charity’s specialist unit at Turnchapel, but there has previously been no service available to support them either to remain at home or to care for them on discharge from hospital.
Senior healthcare assistant Bee and nurse Jo were thrilled and proud to be pioneers on a mission to make a positive difference to people’s lives, working closely with NHS healthcare colleagues across the water.
“The whole team are really excited to go there,” said Bee, in the driving seat as they passed the Welcome to Cornwall sign in the centre of the bridge. “It’s another big area for us to cover and it’s going to be a lot more rural nursing, but we’re all up for the challenge.”
That stalwart can-do attitude certainly came in handy as they turned off the A38 to snake through the Cornish countryside to meet Paul Treeby, the team’s first patient on the service’s first day.
Beneath bleak black clouds and intermittent heavy downpours, Bee drove carefully, bumping along increasingly muddy lanes until she hit Tarmac with grass growing down the middle, her view hemmed in by high hedges on either side.
Suddenly a beautiful rainbow and a glimmer of blue sky appeared in the distance beckoning Bee and Jo to one of the small farming communities that pepper the hinterlands between Liskeard and Callington.
“It’s a typical journey, really,” said Jo. “We’re based in the city, but we have a lot of isolated people to visit out in the countryside. We keep going come rain or shine, grass or gravel!”
St Luke’s Urgent Care is a healthcare assistant led service, so Jo wouldn’t normally be out visiting patients herself, except when there’s an urgent need for her nursing expertise.
“I put myself down for the first shift so that I can see what the challenges are and support the team while they are getting used to the area,” she explained.
With the satnav out of range, they managed to arrive in roughly the right place, but Paul’s tucked-away home wasn’t easy to find in the pouring rain, despite his instructions. Luckily, he lives in a friendly hamlet where everyone knows everyone, and hardy folk who walk their dogs in all weathers were eager to point Bee in the right direction.
There was an almost palpable sense of relief as Paul’s daughter, Jude Kitt, opened the door of her father’s bungalow and, along with black Labrador Harvey, welcomed Bee and Jo inside.
Any apprehension Paul had felt before their arrival vanished immediately as they asked him gently about himself, how he was feeling and what they could do to help.
“We build a rapport with patients very, very quickly,” explained Jo. “Going in on a daily basis you can quickly see how someone is and if there is escalation of symptoms you can deal with that. The patient can get what they need from us in a timely manner. We make sure everything is as easy as possible.”
Their role is also to liaise with the other health professionals involved in his care, including his GP and the NHS Cornwall palliative care nurse who gives Paul and Jude advice over the phone.
Paul, 75, has been living with prostate cancer for 10 years. After an operation, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, he was put on long-term chemotherapy to control the disease. But, in July this year – just a month after his dear wife Elizabeth’s death from leukaemia – Paul’s oncology team told him that the treatment had run its course and there was nothing more they could do.
It means the world to him to now be able to spend his remaining time at home in the community he knows and loves, with reassuring support from St Luke’s.
“I’ve been a country lad all my life. I was brought up on the farm. I was born at Blunts, down the road. Dad was killed in a tractor accident and Mother had three of us to look after so she took a job as a housekeeper for another farm at Menheniot. That was tough, but you just got on with it. When I was old enough, I went out to work and started digger driving, which I loved,” he said.
Paul and Elizabeth brought up their family on a smallholding near Trewidland – a tiny hamlet between Liskeard and Looe – and he made a living operating diggers for several local companies.
“We had around 40 acres and kept sheep through the winter and cut hay in summer. When we couldn’t cope with that any more, my son Tim took it on and bought us this bungalow to retire to.”
Paul was quick to praise Bee and Jo at the end of their visit.
“I was very impressed with St Luke’s team. It’s good to have them coming in to help me with any problems I’ve got. I think it will be a big benefit having them down here in Cornwall,” he said. “I think it’s something that’s got to be done. There’s a massive demand.
“They came in and made me feel at home. They talked about my tablets, and they took me in to have a wash. It was all very relaxed and no stress. That suits me down to the ground because I don’t do well with stress. That’s why I wouldn’t want to go back to hospital again.”
Jude, who lives four miles away at Pensilva, has been juggling her own family life with caring for her dad, with no real chance to grieve for her mother, who was the first person she would usually have talked things through with.
“It feels like a huge relief already. Dad deserves the best care and now we have got somebody coming every day who can help us. I feel like I have a team behind me now,” she said.
“The main thing is the continuation of people coming in so they will get to know Dad and recognise any day to day deterioration. I feel like it’s all been on me, and it’s been a bit overwhelming at times.”
Jo added: “There must be a lot of families who have been struggling up until now and it’s good to be able to tell them there is help on the way.”
The final word goes to Bee, who said: “Dying is a massive part of life. Everyone deserves to have the best death they can have, and we can help with that journey.”
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Urgent-Care-Service-East-Cornwall-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Gabby Notthttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgGabby Nott2023-12-13 16:15:462023-12-14 09:09:19BLOG: Pilot service takes expert St Luke’s hospice care to Cornish doorsteps
Creating happy memories has always been a special part of Matt and Kelley Avery’s life together. A formidable, fun-loving team, they’ve certainly collected a bumper package of magic moments over the past 17 years, despite weathering some very tough times.
The couple have shared numerous incredible holidays in the UK and around the world, on their own, with friends, and with their children. They’ve danced the night away at family and friends’ weddings and been the life and soul of countless dinner parties and new year celebrations, as well as murder mystery and hot tub evenings they’ve hosted at home.
And who could forget the romantic hot air balloon adventure that former Miss Plymouth Kelley booked as a surprise that confirmed she and Matt were made for each other?
But they certainly didn’t expect to be adding to their positive standout memories when Matt was admitted to St Luke’s specialist unit a few weeks ago, weak and in terrible pain.
Nevertheless, there were a few big surprises in store for the carpenter, funky house DJ and Rat Pack fan and his wife – not least him feeling well enough to go home to Sherford, where he’s now spending precious time with Kelley, their daughters Madison, 15, and Lacey,11, son Harrison, six, and spaniel Chester, nearly 13.
On top of expert care, the whole family – including the dog – felt welcomed, supported and thoroughly spoilt by St Luke’s friendly and understanding teams who all went above and beyond to create a positive experience.
There was an impromptu birthday party for Matt, Halloween fun with pumpkins, quiet times with his parents in the hospice gardens, arts and crafts sessions for the children and a unique Plymouth Argyle treat that put the icing on the cake.
“Four weeks ago, I was up in bed in complete pain thinking that was it. I went into St Luke’s at Turnchapel with worries because you think ‘Am I going to be able to come out?’ Some people don’t. But there are people who do, and I am one of them,” said Matt. “I had such a good experience in there, the way they looked after me and reassured me all the time.”
Matt was first diagnosed with a rare form of cancer – GIST or gastro intestinal stromal tumours – when he was 31, back in 2009. The news came just five weeks before he and Kelley were due to get married. Matt had started chemotherapy treatment, but the wedding went ahead as planned at Plymouth’s Continental Hotel, with 140 guests – and more in the evening, when a Rat Pack singer sang some of Matt’s favourite songs. “The best wedding present was being told that he was responding to treatment,” said Kelley.
After a successful operation on his bowel and liver at Derriford Hospital, Matt has continued on slow release chemo treatment ever since, enjoying months and years of feeling fit and well, interspersed with sporadic bouts of ill health.
Cancer was part of his and Kelley’s everyday reality, but they didn’t let it stop them living life to the full or affect their dreams of adding to their family. Lacey was born in 2012, Matt trained hard and ran the Plymouth Half Marathon in 2015 in just two hours, and in 2017 the couple welcomed Harrison into the world.
Kelley, a former Miss Plymouth, who worked for an estate agency, said: “I thought the best thing to do was to keep to a routine with the children, with work and with life in general. Of course, the focus is going to be on the person who is poorly, but you have to be the glue holding things together.
“The week leading up to each check-up appointment would be filled with stress and tears, then that would be it for another three months. It was time to put worries to the back of our minds and we lived like that for years. It was hard going, but we had some great times.”
As a family they enjoyed lots of caravan holidays in Cornwall, heading for Polzeath, where Matt could indulge in his love of surfing and the children became confident “water babies”. Another favourite has been Center Parcs, where they relished adventures on two wheels.
Matt added: “We are quite positive people and that is what has got us through. We gradually got into a routine. I looked fit and healthy and normal and generally life was manageable.”
But despite additional expert input from Cambridge GIST specialist Dr Ramesh Bulusu, eventually the cancer spread to Matt’s bones, and he started radiotherapy treatment.
In January this year the doctors told Matt there was no more they could do to treat him and in October his health took a turn for the worse. He was unable to eat and was losing weight fast. He and Kelley had been referred to St Luke’s and they called clinical nurse specialist Debbie Hutchinson for advice.
“We got the doctor out and Debbie came too. For pain management’s sake they said let’s get you into Turnchapel,” recalled Matt. “I was not ready in my mind for that. I don’t know how it’s going to be down the road, but my feelings then were, ‘I’m not ready for this but I need it’.
“They made me feel so welcome. The care they give you is so different. I got to know all the nurses and staff and you are on first name terms with everybody, including the doctors. They are so friendly and so polite.
“They started off trying to control my pain and my nausea. I hadn’t really eaten for weeks. When I was on chemo it was a form of treatment that made me put weight on – and I liked a pasty too. But I’d gone down from 15 stone in January to 11 stone.
“When you are medicated up, days just go by and you don’t even know if you’ve been fed or not. Then, when you are feeling like you can get up and do stuff, they are still there and you realise what they have done for you.”
A week after he was admitted, it was Matt’s 46th birthday and the St Luke’s team pulled out all the stops to help make it a memorable day for him, Kelley, the children and their close family.
Matt said: “We’d had a meal out booked for the Saturday with family and friends, but we couldn’t do that. The staff rallied round and got pizza and balloons and we had a family gathering. It was just a lovely thing for them to do.” They also surprised him with a cake and a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday.
“It was very important for the occasion to be marked, especially for the children. That personal touch was just lovely,” added Kelley, who has nothing but praise for the support they received from the whole inpatient team and individuals like Debbie, and support worker Lisa who is part of the team on the Patches programme that helps patients’ children and grandchildren.
“St Luke’s have been amazing for me, Matt and the children. Patches has been great. They have provided arts and crafts and fun stuff the children can do.”
At Halloween, Kelley, Madison, Lacey and Harrison brought in Chester the dog, along with some pumpkins, and spent time together carving them into ghoulish faces in the unit’s family kitchen. “Matt was given a really, really small pumpkin to carve. Then we came out into the garden and it was all lit up. We were able to put the pumpkins out all in a row. To share that moment together was very, very important. It was an opportunity to make memories that we might not have had,” said Kelley.
Perhaps the most spectacular memories the family made together was when football fan Debbie told Matt she had two tickets for him for Argyle’s match against Middlesborough on 4 November.
“I’ve always been an Argyle fan. I’m from Plymouth so it’s going to be my number one team. I couldn’t thank her enough… and then it escalated,” recalled Matt.
Argyle player Finn Azaz, one of St Luke’s regular volunteers, went to meet Matt in his room at the hospice with volunteer Elliott Darcy, who coordinates Argyle visits for St Luke’s patients and their families. A 20-minute visit turned into an hour and a half.
“I could have been sitting in the pub with them having a chat. We got on really well,” said Matt. “Then Finn asked what is your son called and does he like football?”
The next thing Matt heard was that Finn had put Harrison forward as a mascot for the match. On the day, Matt was there in the crowd with Kelley’s dad when Finn brought the six-year-old onto the pitch in front of a huge, cheering Green Army. And that wasn’t all. Harrison was given a new Argyle kit and his sisters also got to watch the game and meet all the players.
“It was a brilliant day and we cannot thank Finn and Argyle and St Luke’s enough for all of it. It’s made the best memories,” said Matt, who is grateful to be back on his feet.
“You get that stigma about going into St Luke’s. Four weeks ago, I was up in bed in complete pain thinking that was it. They’ve sent me home with the right medication and they’ve explained everything. And we have great after care. I didn’t even know hospice care at home existed. Debbie might as well move in!”
Kelley added: “We’d felt like we were in such a hole in a way. Matt’s quality of life was quite small. When things came to the point when he was in so much pain, we thought St Luke’s would be end of life care. But there was light at the end of the tunnel and we actually got Matt back.”
She has this advice for anyone who find themself in a similar situation: “It’s important to make sure you have a good connection with someone like St Luke’s, or the Mustard Tree at Derriford.
“When they say give us a call if you need anything, do call them. Everybody needs support. You can never get through this on your own.”
The couple are also incredibly grateful to all their family – especially Matt’s mum and dad, his brother Scott, and Kelley’s parents – for being there to support them in so many ways.
Last, but not least, Matt has some special words for his children: “We are very, very proud of them. I’d like to tell them to keep being yourselves and working hard! They each have their own personalities and they are all very caring. We are so lucky.”
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Matt-Kelley-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2023-11-10 17:47:582023-12-06 14:05:44BLOG: Memories are made of this – magic moments with Matt and Kelley
Punk drummer Dave Whatmore was thrilled to be right at the heart of the action when his friends staged a unique farewell gig in his honour.
It’s not often someone gets to attend their own send-off, but the best, and only, seat in the house was reserved for Dave at the punk all-dayer held on last Saturday (14 October) at The Junction pub in Plymouth.
Featuring some of his favourite local bands, and some from farther away, it wasn’t only an epic party that everyone who came will never forget, it also raised more than £2,000 to split between his chosen charities – St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth and Macmillan.
“There’s no point having a party while you’re lying in a coffin, you’ve got to do it before you go,” said Dave, 58, a familiar face on the Plymouth music scene, who has a terminal cancer diagnosis and is being supported at home by St Luke’s.
“We held a ‘sorry to see you go’ charity gig at the Junction on Mutley Plain, a going away party type of thing. It was a nice little tribute and nice to be there and see it, rather than them doing it while I’m dead. A lot of people don’t get that chance.
“I couldn’t have wanted anything better than that. It was great fun and very nice of them to do it. There were so many people there. I sat in my seat with a circle of protectors around me. I knew pretty much everybody there. A lot of people I hadn’t seen for 30 or 40 years. It was so nice to see everyone and for them to actually be able to come and speak to me.”
At the end of April, after an episode of acute chest pain, Dave was told that he had inoperable cancer and that he might not make it to Christmas. He took a little time to digest his prognosis before his punk rebel spirit started to kick in.
“They told me I’m probably not going to see Christmas. My reaction was to buy a ticket for next February to see a band at The Junction,” said Dave, speaking at home in St Judes, surrounded by his faithful dog Poppy, his partner Alice, her two dogs Pinky and Troy, and their little cat.
He acknowledged that it was the support of St Luke’s clinical nurse specialist Debbie Hutchinson that has encouraged and enabled him to keep living in the moment and make the most out of the time he has left, to the best of his ability.
Like many people, Dave had a limited idea of what hospice care means or what to expect from St Luke’s before having a personal connection.
“I didn’t really understand what St Luke’s did and the help and love they give until I met Debbie. I thought hospice care was going in somewhere, being in a bed, shut away and you’re going to die. It isn’t anything like that.
“I get visits at home, and I get what I need to be able to do things for myself. Debbie and St Luke’s are just a phone call away if I need anything, which I have occasionally, and it’s been sorted straight away. They sorted out my medication when I would have been two days without it. Thanks to Debbie I wasn’t. I love that lady, she’s great – like a second mum. It’s a joy that there are people like Debbie and her friends who are willing to look after people and in a worse state than me.
“OK, I’m going to die at some point, but that is going to happen to us all at some time, it’s just going to be a little sooner for me than I anticipated. I’m not going to be down and angry about it. I want to enjoy what time I’ve got left and enjoy my friends because, apparently, they enjoy me.”
Immunotherapy treatment has helped Dave to feel stronger in the short term, harnessing the energy and drive to make special memories.
“I know I’m going to deteriorate; it is going to get worse and worse, but until that point, until I can’t do anything for myself, I’ll keep doing as much as I can,” added Dave, whose favourite bands of all time are Stiff Little Fingers and The Stranglers. He’s been getting out to as many gigs as he can. Just a couple of weeks ago he was able to travel to Torquay to witness PiL, another long-time favourite, in action. He also has his eye on one last outing for his own precious drum kit.
Dave’s connection with the Plymouth music scene goes back four decades. He has played drums with several popular local bands, includingMad Dog McRea in the early 1990s, Bateman and Unusual Stars. Punk is in his blood, and he has been building up a great collection of live videos from gigs he’s attended, sharing them on his YouTube channel (UPK Dave) – including his own farewell party.
Friends initially wanted to take Dave to this year’s Rebellion punk festival in Blackpool. Realising he wasn’t well enough to go they pulled out all the stops to bring the party to him and let him know how much he means to them.
Called A Gig for Spotty – Dave’s nickname inspired by the green-spotted Mohican-haired sidekick of 1980s kids’ TV hero SuperTed – it featured six bands and was organised by his mates Tom Proctor and Kevin and Alison House, with Mickey Byrne and Sweary Mark on guest DJ duties.
“It is really, really lovely. They put it all together in a couple of months. They rang up the bands and they said yes. Cult Maniax from Torrington split up 20 years ago but got back together for this gig, with two original members. We were all together back in the 1980s,” explained Dave, who used to sport his own impressive red Mohican back in the day. “One band came all the way from Blackpool and there was another band from Bristol and the others from Plymouth.”
The full 2-11pm line-up featured Bus Station Loonies, Hellwigs, Wags to Wytches, The Hate, Bad Blood and Cult Maniax.
Co-organiser Kevin House wrote on Facebook: “No words to say how proud we are of absolutely everybody connected with this and I don’t just mean the people that organised, helped, bands, the venue, I mean all of you that came and supported… The party for Dave Whatmore that was the whole reason for this, I hope we did you proud Spotty…”
The last word goes to Dave: “We did this thing, we made some money, and I chose who I wanted it to go to. I’ll be happy if it helps at least one person.”
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Dave-Whatmore-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2023-10-20 17:06:582023-11-29 08:58:03BLOG: Dave lives his best life at punk party send-off
Community nurse Jen Nicholls has scored a ground-breaking double win for excellence at St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth, becoming the organisation’s first Queen’s Nurse and first Advanced Clinical Practitioner.
Jen, who works across the inpatient and leads the community team, recently graduated with a Masters’ degree in Advanced Clinical Practice from Plymouth University. In December she will travel to a ceremony in London to be awarded her prestigious Queen’s Nurse badge.
“I’m very proud to hold both these titles. I couldn’t have achieved this without my teams, who are fantastic,” said Jen, 45, who has spent almost all her spare time studying over the past four years.
“I’m passionate about palliative care, and this is great for St Luke’s reputation and for our focus on outstanding end of life care in our community.”
Jen is now one of just 38 nurses working across community services in Devon – and only 2,500 nationwide – who currently hold Queen’s Nurse status. It’s a discretionary award that requires evidence of experience, skill and commitment as part of a rigorous selection process.
“Becoming a Queen’s Nurse gives me the opportunity to be part of a network of like-minded professionals who are influencing improvements in nursing care in the community. It will also mean I can raise the profile of specialist palliative care among community nurses and share learning,” she said.
Jen’s qualification as an advanced clinical practitioner empowers her to confidently guide patients throughout their whole journey within palliative and end of life care, on a practical and strategic level. She can use her advanced knowledge to assess patients’ symptoms, diagnose and treat, prescribe medication, evaluate their care and prevent unplanned admissions to hospital. She can also support partnerships with GPs and management of the most complex of patients.
“If there is someone who needs to go into our specialist unit after being cared for by us at home in the community, then I can make sure it’s a smooth transition, for example.
“Having ACPs is very forward thinking and new in how it is being incorporated into the medical model. For St Luke’s it’s a real move forward in terms of integrating roles. It benefits us through aspects of its four pillars of clinical practice, leadership, education and research.
“Taking my Masters has been a challenge and there have been times when I thought I couldn’t do it, but my most important driver is to keep the patient at the heart of everything we do, and really make a difference to their care.
“I have a close family and they supported me through my studies, but I have to say they are pleased I’m not studying at the moment!” said Jen, who has now set her sights on learning to cox for her gig rowing club at Charlestown.
Always ambitious, she has certainly come a long way since her first job aged 17, working as a health care assistant in her local cottage hospital in Bodmin. At 18 Jen moved to Bristol to do her nurse training, working in haematology and oncology, and by 26 she had become a ward manager.
Moving back to her Cornish hometown, Jen was ward manager at Bodmin community hospital for eight years before joining St Luke’s Hospital Team in 2016 and finding her true passion.
“I came over to work in the community team for six months and really enjoyed it. In 2019 I became the lead for the community team and a year later I became a nurse consultant and absolutely loved it. It has to be my best job ever. It’s so rewarding, and I feel so privileged to be part of patients’ and their families’ lives at such an important time,” she said.
“I’m really proud to be representing all the patients that I have cared for in my career. They have made me the nurse I am today. I am very enthusiastic to keep developing and be the best and most inspirational nurse I can be and fly the flag for nursing careers.”
More than 1,100 cyclists saddled up on Sunday for St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth’s thrilling Tour de Moor challenge across Dartmoor, conquering craggy kilometres and raising funds for the charity’s compassionate end of life care.
In glorious sunshine, the community-spirited riders of all ages and abilities proudly donned their azure branded T-shirts to turn the moor blue in support of the vital services St Luke’s provides for local families affected by terminal illness.
Negotiating the rugged wilds of the moor, 686 participants pitted their two-wheel skills against the toughest, hill-filled terrain for 52km, while 237 took it down a gear for the brand new 33km Granite and Gears Cycle Trail route, and another 138 opted for a gentler, family-friendly 11km ride along the tarmac paths of Drake’s Trail.
One of St Luke’s flagship annual events, every £1,000 raised by Tour de Moor represents a full package of specialist care at home, free of charge, for one patient and their family on the charity’s patch which reaches across Plymouth and out to more rural areas around Tavistock, Dartmoor and the South Hams.
In previous years it’s often been a battle of mud, along with the sweat and gears, but apart from a few splashy puddles this year’s challenge was more about keeping hydrated in unusually warm temperatures above 20C.
Amid the throng of keen riders were many taking part to pay tribute to a loved one who was looked after by St Luke’s at the end of their life.
Taking on the 33km was Sam Downing, 37, cycling in memory of his dad, Trevor Downing from Plympton, and his cousin David Lawrence from Bigbury, who both received care from St Luke’s nursing teams, as well as friend Godfrey Jay from Cornwall, all of whom died quite recently.
“It’s all about doing something to give back to the people who helped care for them,” said Sam, who raised more than £200 in sponsorship and was riding alongside work colleague Rhys.
“My cousin David passed away just about a month ago and this would have been his 34th birthday, so it feels good to be able to do Tour de Moor today. He had care from St Luke’s at home.
“Dad had prostate cancer and he was in and out of St Luke’s at Turnchapel two or three times in the last six months of his life.”
Possibly the youngest rider confidently braving the 33km route – and certainly one of the event’s biggest fundraisers – was George Lake, aged eight, from Tavistock. His total topped £1,000 thanks to sponsorship from family, friends and other generous donors, including local company DCUK.
Dad, Matthew, who was pedaling the miles with his son, said: “George decided he wanted to do a charity cycle ride. We are lucky not to have needed St Luke’s care, but it’s a cause that is so well known and respected locally that we wanted to support its services.”
Mum, Anna, added: “We see St Luke’s cars out visiting people in our area and we know in years to come our family may need them.”
Teenagers Emily Wragg, 14, and brother Ben, 17, rode with their dad Gareth, in memory of their Nanny, Anne Briggs, and had totted up more than £300 in sponsorship.
Ben said: “St Luke’s helped our Nan out a lot at home at the end of her life and we wanted to do something to help St Luke’s.”
Making it a fun-filled family day out on the gentler 11km route along Drakes Trail for the second year running were the Rixons from Sherford.
Alfie, aged five, and his sister, Annabel, eight, were joined by their intrepid teddy bears Green Bow and Pink Bow, and their dad, Edward.
He said: “I do Tour de Moor and Men’s Day Out every year and would usually cycle the 33km route, but these two aren’t quite big enough yet, although they’ve been riding bikes since they were very young and could do it easily!”
Shane Darwood and his four-year-old rescue cocker spaniel Jess were both having a blast negotiating the moors on his e-bike – a popular choice for the slightly less energetic cyclists. He said: “What a day for it. Absolutely beautiful!”
St Luke’s Head of Fundraising, Penny Hannah, said: “I think this year’s Tour de Moor has been really special because times are tough for a lot of people. That almost 1200 riders still made sure they came out to support St Luke’s work in the community is incredible. Every single one of them should feel proud that they are helping us to keep our services running for the people who need us.
“Of course, we could not have put on something of this scale without our sponsors Print Copy Scan. Huge thanks to them and to everyone who took part in this year’s challenge, plus our army of volunteers, Dartmoor National Park, Maristow Estate, David May Motor Services, The Hire Shop, Devon and Cornwall 4×4 Response and Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team. You have all done your community proud!”
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/TDM23-Post-Event-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2023-10-08 18:38:312023-10-08 19:49:12PR: Sun shines on hospice Tour de Moor challenge
Most of us, when we look back on our career, want to feel we’ve made a difference – that the weeks, months and years have really counted and we’ve left the world better than we found it. This is a big part of what makes our lives meaningful, and it’s a great motivator to keep doing the work we do or, perhaps, change direction completely.
If you’ve never considered working as part of our hospice team – or thought about it but not yet gone ahead – it’s worth knowing our staff often tell us it’s been the most fulfilling part of their career – by far! And we’re not just talking about St Luke’s doctors and nurses here – it’s our equally dedicated people working more behind the scenes, too, from kitchen and maintenance staff to administrators, fundraisers, and finance, marketing and IT buffs. All play a vital role in the trusted service our charity provides – free of charge – so that no-one in our community needs to miss out on gold-standard care at the end of their life.
Hospice Care Week (9 – 15 October) is an opportunity for us to say an extra-big thank-you to each and every one our dedicated, hardworking crew. We see you, we value you, we celebrate you!
With demand on our services growing, it’s more important than ever that we continue to attract talent across our services, from hands-on care and bereavement support to our charity shops and fundraising events. As an employer of choice, we want our staff to enjoy coming to work. We offer a positive, supportive and inclusive environment that encourages them to thrive, and attractive benefits and rewards, including generous annual leave and a cash-back scheme to help with everyday health costs, such as dental and eye care.
So, if you’ve been on the fence about working for our hospice, the time to apply is now. It could just be the most life-enhancing move of your career.
We look forward to hearing from you! Visit our job vacancy page and set up a job alert.
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hospice-Care-Week-2023-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2023-10-05 12:09:242023-10-05 12:10:51BLOG: Make every day count as part of our hospice team
“It’s an amazing place, and you never know who you’re going to meet!”
St Luke’s patient Michael Scott thought his eyes were playing tricks on him when he spotted top Plymouth Argyle player Finn Azaz walking onto the ward in our specialist unit at Turnchapel.
“Never in a million years did I think that would happen. I recognised him straight away because he has come back to Argyle again this season and he’s scored some goals in recent games. Last year I saw him play a couple of times and, of course, I’ve seen him in the media,” said an astonished and delighted Michael, who has taken his son and daughter to matches at Home Park in the past. “It was a complete surprise!”
Modest midfielder Finn has recently started volunteering for St Luke’s in his spare time. The 23-year-old stopped to chat with Michael and another patient on the ward during his recent visit to our HQ to help the fundraising team.
“Finn came over to talk to me and I told him my life story,” added Michael, 61, who was thrilled that he was able to meet the rising football star before being discharged home a couple of days later. “He came across as a very genuine and nice bloke and he asked me some very good questions. I wish him well for the rest of the season and hope Argyle do as well as they did last year when they went into the Championship.”
Liverpool-born Michael, who lives at Keyham, was in the Royal Navy for 34 years, retiring in 2012. He was working as a safety officer for cruise ships before his diagnosis with Stage 4 bowel cancer. He was seen and supported by St Luke’s hospital team at Derriford before being transferred to our inpatient unit for specialist symptom management. He and his family – wife, Angela, daughter Bethany and son Matthew, who has followed his dad into the Navy – will now have the support of our at home team.
“I’m looking forward to going home but I have thoroughly enjoyed the two weeks I’ve spent in St Luke’s as an inpatient. The people are fantastic, and I feel honoured to have been asked to come here,” said Michael, who was also thrilled to be allowed a couple of hospice visits from his chocolate Labrador Milo. “It’s an amazing place, and you never know who you’re going to meet!”
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Argyle-Finn-Visit-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2023-09-29 10:43:552023-09-29 10:43:55BLOG: Plymouth Argyle Finn makes patient Michael’s day
An 8-year-old with big fundraising goals will be taking on the moors on Sunday 8 October at our Tour de Moor.
Harry Totham and his dad Paul will be taking part in our Tour de Moor for the first time this year, with high hopes to raise ‘BIG’ money for our compassionate care.
The self-confessed bike fanatics, from Elburton will be taking on our 33km route, which is brand new for this year, giving riders a fresh challenge to embark on.
Paul said: “Harry and I love anything and everything bike related. We are entered into the 33km race as Harry said he wanted to challenge himself, as in his words ‘11km wouldn’t be a challenge for him and he wanted to raise BIG money!’ If he could he probably would have gone for the 52km but there is always next year! (And knowing Harry this will be his challenge next time!).”
The pair have been making sure to test their pedals before the big day, with Harry attending a weekly cycling club as well as training with his dad.
“Harry and I go out on Mondays for a long ride. He trains at his cycling club Dartmoor Velo (which I am a coach for) on a Wednesday and Saturday and often races on Sundays at Regional events. It’s such a great friendly sport where the support of the other club members gives it a real family feel.”
So far, Harry and his dad have raised £350 on their JustGiving page, completely smashing the £100 fundraising target! This means they have been entered into our draw to win an exciting prize!
Like many of our riders at our Tour de Moor, Paul and Harry may not have seen our care in action first hand, but they have seen the impact our care teams have in the local community.
“We have been fortunate enough not to be impacted by anyone in our family or friends needing the support of St Luke’s, but Harry wanted to raise money for a worthy charity. Since moving down here 6 years ago from London, we have heard and seen the great work St Luke’s provides for local people in their time of need. So many people raise money for charity after they have been affected by something which is amazing, but how amazing is it for an 8-year-old wanting to raise money for a charity that has not affected his life.”
Our Tour de Moor is sponsored by Print, Copy, Scan Ltd. Time is running out to sign up, with spaces limited, you only have until Wednesday 4 October to register, so sign up now and get ready to take on Dartmoor.
Don’t forget that your registration fee only covers the costs of us running the event – it’s the money you raise through donations and sponsorship that will help us continue providing compassionate end of life care, free of charge, for everyone in our community who needs it.
Endless miles of water and only yourself for company can be a daunting prospect for many. But for some St Luke’s supporters, a cross channel swim is at the top of their fundraising bucket list.
Mike Goodman, from Saltash, took on the ultimate challenge of swimming across the channel for St Luke’s last week.
Mike, who you may recognise as being the manager at the Embankment Road Co-op, swam the gruelling 20.5 miles of open water between England and France all in aid of St Luke’s.
It took Mike an incredible 14 hours and 45 minutes to complete the swim.
Mike, who has always had a love of swimming, decided to take on the epic challenge after his friend and training partner, Neil Brinkworth, who had completed it himself four years earlier – raising a staggering amount for St Luke’s – gave him the push of encouragement.
He said: “I have always been a keen swimmer, starting at an early age and joining Plymouth Leander Swimming Club. I was never a fast swimmer but I enjoyed the challenge even then of distance swimming and getting my two mile badge.
“My good friend and training partner, Neil encouraged me to do the swim after we completed the channel as part of a four man relay, going on to swim from Land’s End to the Isles of Scilly as a team of six and becoming World Record holders for the fastest time, and more recently in June this year, the same team completed the North Channel, from Northern Ireland to Scotland.”
Mike, who has always been a supporter of St Luke’s – even kindly donating milk for refreshments at our most recent Open Garden – has already managed to raise over £3,200 for our patient care on his JustGiving page.
He said: “St Luke’s has been a great support to many people I know, including relatives, so I wanted to fundraise for such a great local cause.”
Swimming the channel is no easy feat, with Mike having to take on a vigorous training schedule to prepare for the big day.
“Training wise, I’ve been swimming twice a week for an hour early in the mornings, concentrating on technique as well as speed work and two sessions a week in the gym focusing on stretching, to help prevent injury and improve flexibility and range of movement. I have been sea swimming normally once a week and then more every other weekend when I’m not working full time.
“My training peaked with six-hour sea swims, or if time and weather did not permit, three hours in the pool followed by three hours in the sea the following day.”
But the training was all worth it in the end, especially when Mike was able to see the French coast on the horizon after hours of physical exertion.
“The toughest part was going through the 6/7 hour pain barrier as this was the longest time on my training swims. Once past that and up to 10 hours I knew I had passed the separation zone (mid channel) and that as minimum I was half-way, so psychologically it was all downhill from there with a decreasing amount of hours.
“The magic was seeing the French coast and being told by your crew, ‘This is your last feed,’ knowing you had less than one hour to go! My team got to swim in and film me finishing on the beach and celebrate the crossing.”
Thank you and well done to Mike for this incredible achievement. Thanks to his dedication and hard work, we can be there for even more patients and families who desperately need our care and support.
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