Pasque Hospice - Walk of Life
Pam Rhodes, well-known television presenter and talented author, is supporting The Pasque Charity's 'Walk of Life' campaign in memory of her mother, who sadly died last year.
Here, Pam shares her thoughts on the charity and the opportunity to celebrate the life of her mother on this special pathway.
There are many signs you're getting older. A few silver hairs, more laughter lines and what was the other thing? Oh yes, becoming infuriatingly forgetful. Ah well, it happens to us all. We can slap on a bit more face cream, do the crossword and perhaps make sure we have something to laugh out loud at every day because who wants to grow old gracefully.
Much harder to accept, though, is when we start to lose those we love, the people who've walked alongside us as part of the circle of family and friends who make us what we are. Their loss can hit us hard as we become acutely aware of the march of time. It can certainly spur us on to cherish every precious moment, to make our mark on the world in a way, which is of value and worth to others.
Pam Rhodes
When my Mum died, I know I wanted the opportunity to leave her mark on the world in a positive way. The team at the Pasque Charity has come up with one very literal way to do that. Their idea is the creation of a Walk of Life; a new footpath to be laid close to the new Pasque Adult In-Patient Unit, which is currently being built within their grounds. The need for the brand new unit is very clear because, while the charity's expertise in palliative care has developed so much since the hospice was built in 1991, the same cannot be said for the hospice buildings and facilities. The team believes with a passion that their patients and families deserve the best possible care and so they've embarked on a huge fundraising and building programme to create the new unit which can provide a place of great comfort and the very best hospice experience for many years to come. Although the building programme is nearing completion, the fundraising has to continue, not just to complete the project, but also to provide the specialist equipment and care which is needed at the hospice day after day.
The Walk of Life is a delightful way for us all to contribute to the life of Pasque and the care of local people with life-limiting illnesses. For as little as £50, we can buy a paving stone with an inscription of our choice. We may like to choose words that remind us of someone we have loved and lost. Families may choose to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or achievement. Companies might decide to make their support of the Pasque concrete by inscribing their greeting. Whatever the sentiment, each stone will form a part of a landscaped pathway through the grounds of Pasque. There will be opportunities to sit along the way, to reflect and draw comfort in the peaceful surroundings, knowing that the work that takes place at the hospice carries on because of your support.
This strikes me as such a comforting way to mark how special a person or event is to you. I'm certainly getting my stone organised straight away in memory of my very dear Mum who died a few months ago. My family will choose the wording carefully and hers will be one of the first stones to be laid in the new path. She'd have loved both the sentiment and the setting.
The New Adult Hospice Under Construction
Could something like this bring pleasure and comfort for your family? Might this be a way for you to leave your own special mark in support of your community? A heart-warming act for you, which is also a life-enhancing gift for the patients and their families who need the care and facilities on offer at the Pasque now and in the future?
To find out more information about The Pasque Charity's Walk of Life campaign, please click here. or call 01582 707940. The Pasque Charity will also be running preview open days of the new Adult Hospice Unit on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th April of the nearly completed Unit. Visitors are invited to arrive at the hospice any time between 10am and 4pm on these days to see how much the charity have achieved so far and what more support is needed for the project to be completed. The hospice is located on Great Bramingham lane in Streatley, near Luton. Click here for directions.