‘Why we’re proud to suppot St Catherine’s Hospice with Regular Giving’

Meet the Donaldson family who like so many of you, are wonderful supporters of St Catherine’s.

Beloved mum Trish was cared for in the hospice a few years ago, and her devoted family has since got behind a variety of fundraising efforts for our charity.

They’re now proud to support a new way in which people can donate to St Catherine’s all year round. Our new ‘regular giving’ initiative offers our communities the chance to make a monthly donations via direct debit; showing their ongoing commitment to our cause and helping us to be there for families like the Donaldsons now and in the future.

Trish’s daughter Joanne says: “I’m really excited about taking part in the regular giving initiative. For me it’s all about a little change that will make a huge difference; something as simple as having one less takeaway coffee a month allows me to donate £5 each month.

“It gives me a brilliant feeling knowing that I am helping the hospice on a regular basis, and it’s also reassuring to know it’s an easy and manageable commitment for me.”

Trish and her husband Tommy moved to Lostock Hall more than 40 years ago and raised their five children Jillian, Steven, Joanne, Nicola and Jenny, who all still live in the local area and are now growing their own families here too.

She was diagnosed with primary peritoneal cancer in 2014 and underwent treatment including chemotherapy and an operation over a three-year period, along with countless visits to her doctor and the hospital.

Joanne says: “Mum had been in hospital for a few weeks when a bed became available at St Catherine’s. That’s when as a family, we all felt truly blessed.

“The hospice is very close to our hearts as our beautiful mum spent her final days being cared for by the wonderful nurses and doctors, who really make it an amazing place. The support they gave to all of us and especially our dad is something we will never forget.

“It was a difficult time for us, but knowing Mum was cared for with such kindness and compassion give us all the comfort we needed. The hospice became a ‘home from home’ – I felt it every time I walked through the doors. The medical team were always open and available to discuss what was happening, and nothing was too much trouble for them.

“In mum’s final days we wanted to make sure someone was there all the time, which often meant all five of us and dad staying all night, which was something we were grateful to be able to do.”

Joanne adds: “From the caring greeting at the reception to the volunteers who arrange the flowers so that every patient has something to brighten their room, it’s the personal touches which made us all feel at ease through the hardest of times.

“We are so lucky to have a hospice which offers the level of care that St Catherine’s does, and we’re pleased that we can now contribute a monthly donation to help towards the personalised care and support provided by the charity.”

Trish’s daughter Nicola says: “The hospice still brings us together to celebrate our beautiful mum’s life. The grounds are beautiful and the children love running around the paths and over the bridges.

“We also play the hospice’s lottery which costs £1 a week – another way of showing our long-term support – and we love visiting The Mill café for a coffee and a cake, as well as big family breakfasts and meeting up with friends for afternoon tea.

“The Moonlight and Memories Walk is one of our favourite fundraisers; we make it a real family event! The atmosphere is fantastic and people are really kind and encouraging throughout the whole walk. People stand outside their houses giving out water and snacks, pub owners offer us the use of their toilet facilities, and the cars that pass honk their horns just to keep you going. It’s the best feeling; it gives you that real sense of community.”

“It’s so important for local people to give back to this local charity,” Nicola adds. “You never know when you and your family will need it, and the hospice relies on people fundraising to be able to provide its wonderful services every single year.”

Regular Giving provides the opportunity to donate £5, £10, £20 or any other amount on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis through direct debit, meaning once you’ve filled out the form, you can support St Catherine’s for as long as you wish.

It enables us to budget and plan for the future, helping us to reach more people who require our specialist care at the hospice and in their own homes, enabling us to continue providing emotional and practical support to patients and their loved ones from diagnosis to bereavement, and helping people to experience quality of life until the end of life.

• To become a St Catherine’s regular giver, please click here.

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