In a moving personal statement, Hannah explained their relationship with the Hospice began when her husband, Jeremy, or Jez, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colorectal Cancer in 2010, just weeks before Martha was born. He’d previously been fit and healthy and had just taken part in his fifth Great North Run.

Hannah explains that after a relentless cycle of Chemo and Radiation therapy:

‘In May 2014, Jez was in extreme pain that could not be controlled and that is when Alice House first came into our lives. From day one, it was clear that Alice House was not remotely what Jez – or I for that matter had expected. It felt like a home from home, from the doctors to the Catering Team; every member of staff was warm and welcoming.

‘The relaxed and informal atmosphere meant that for the first time in months, he felt safe, and his pain was finally under control; we spent a lot of those two weeks sitting in the wonderful Hospice gardens, enjoying the sunshine together with Martha, until he was able to come home.’

But by August that year Jeremy’s health had deteriorated rapidly and he returned to Alice House to be cared for in his final weeks.

‘Jeremy was very clear that he did not wish to be cared for in Hospital and as a family we understood and supported him in that decision wholeheartedly’

‘While hospitals look after people perfectly adequately, they are simply unable to give the level of care and attention that patients and their families receive in a Hospice. Having a child that was only three at the time and knowing Jeremy was safe, cared for and happy was a huge relief.

Since then, both Hannah and Martha have become devoted Volunteers, both as a gesture of gratitude to Alice House and in memory of Jeremy. Hannah, who works in the travel industry, is keen to point out that volunteering gives so much back to those who sign up.

‘Whilst volunteering you could learn new skills that you can take forward into the rest of your life, maybe helping you to find a new job or simply expanding the skills that you already have. Volunteering can be flexible – if you don’t feel well suited to some tasks, they will find you others.

‘If volunteering in a public face-to-face setting is not something you might feel comfortable with, there are lots of opportunities to work behind the scenes in admin or sorting stock for the shops etc. There will always be a place for you in the volunteer family.

‘Volunteering is such good fun – the Colour Run, the Santa Fun Run, I’ve been to the Hootenanny which raises funds for the hospice and sampled a few pints and it’s all in the name of supporting the Hospice, nothing to do with the beer of course!

‘The amount of money that needs to be raised to keep the Hospice running is huge. But there’s an absolute need for it – for the people using the Hospice services at a crucial point in their lives.

‘I don’t think you can underestimate the impact that those pounds and pence have. You may have done something as simple as having collected money in one of the charity buckets at an event, but that small gesture can be life altering for somebody in need of Hospice Care.’

Martha is now 14 and has been able to use her volunteering opportunities with the Hospice to count towards her Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award. She’s helped at the Santa Fun Run, giving out medals and handing out baubles for the Trees of Remembrance in Middleton Grange Shopping Centre at Christmas time.

‘You can have fun volunteering. I did the Colour Run two years ago with my auntie. You get paint chucked all over you, it was so much fun.’

Hannah says: ‘When it comes to volunteering just do it. You will make a massive difference to somebody that you may never meet.

‘You may volunteer because you feel lonely and want a bit of company or you’re retired and don’t want to stop using your skills. There are so many valuable reasons to volunteer.

‘I will never ever forget what Alice House did for us as a family. It doesn’t matter if you’ve got five minutes, five hours or five days you will have a positive impact.’

Article by Volunteer Media Consultant, Heather McWilliam.

Thank you to Hannah and Martha for sharing their story.

For more information on volunteering opportunities, please click here or call on 01429 855555.