May 19th

“From the moment I came through the doors I felt an atmosphere and a vibe here, from the nurses all the way through to the kitchen staff. The hospice has that homely feeling. I felt like I was joining an exclusive club.”

Jill Brittain from Highgate said these words to me just a few weeks before she lost her long battle with cancer in early 2007.

She was talking about the unique atmosphere of the Marie Curie Hospice in Lyndhurst Gardens, where she received extraordinary care to help her through those torturous and painful final weeks before her death.

Like Jill, hundreds of cancer sufferers rely on the superb care offered by staff at the Hampstead hospice every year. Some go there in their final days, others can book themselves in for a week or two to get some much needed support and rest as they battle the disease.

Jill summed up the help victims like her receive when she said: “The care is unbelievable. It’s not just medical care but emotional care as well. You can ring a nurse for help without feeling that you are a nuisance.

“I’m sure there are people who don’t want to accept that they are dying but I would be perfectly happy to die here.”

The Marie Curie Hospice and its incredible staff rely on the help of charitable donations and fundraising events. Hence, the fact that myself and my colleague Katie are attempting to run the marathon.

Please sponsor us and ensure that the work done at the Hampstead Hospice can continue.