Family and friends of a former St Peters Hospice patient Joy Emery will be plunging 185ft from the Premier Inn in central Bristol on Sunday 22 April in order to raise money for the charity.
Kim Browning (25), Maria Roynon (18), Scott Mountford (26) and Liam-Jack Gould (17) will be abseiling down the side of the building in support of the work and care that St Peters Hospice offered to Joy.
The second abseil organised by the hospice they are hoping to raise a minimum of £150 each.
Joy was diagnosed with cancer in 2004 and after three years battling the disease started visiting the hospice. It was during her visits that Joy felt she was at last being treated like a person rather than a hospital number.
Commenting on her experience Joy said: “I gained so much, learned new skills and the staff and other attendee’s became my extended family, giving me hope and strength.
“Since 2004 my life consisted of constant hospital appointments, treatments and operations. I felt like just another hospital number with no real identity. However as soon as I stepped through the door of St Peters Hospice I felt I was me again, not just somebody with the big C.”
“I will be there in April watching from a distance and feeling so very proud of all my loved ones.
“I felt a great sense of pride when those so close to me said they wanted to do the abseil. They are much braver than I could ever be! The Hospice means a lot to me and my fiancé, as his dad attended it many years ago.”
St. Peter’s Hospice is Bristol’s only adult hospice caring for local people with incurable diseases and giving them a better quality of life. All care is provided free of charge but with the NHS contributing just 23% of the £6.5 million needed to run the hospice yearly, support from the public is essential.
Last year the hospice cared for 2,200 patients in the region and supported over 6,000 family members, including children.
Joy’s eldest son Scott added: “Having seen the support the hospice has given my mum I felt I wanted to do something special to help out an equally special place.”
If you would like to take part in abseil challenge it costs just £15 and there is a minimum sponsorship of £150. The event will take place from 10am until 5pm. If you are interested in getting involved please contact Maria on 0117 915 9328 or at [email protected]
