T's Ultra commitment to St Michael's
T’s Ultra commitment to St Michael’s
As part of Hospice Care Week 2022, we’re re-visiting some of the wonderful care stories from across the year. Hospice Care week runs from 10-14th October and is a chance to celebrate the value of support, of care and of what matters to us at the end of life when we need it most.
Our wonderful volunteers always rise to the challenge, but Tina J. Carey – known as ‘T’ – has gone the extra mile – or over 63 to be exact.
‘T’ is a ‘sitter’ with St Michael’s, a role aimed at supporting patients by offering them company, having a natter, reading, or maybe just sitting quietly beside them.
Her passion for St Michael’s extends to more energetic pursuits too, having recently completed the gruelling Cotswold Way Ultra Challenge.
‘T’ overcame painful blisters whilst jogging and hiking some of the most difficult and challenging hills within the Cotswolds to successfully complete the 100km (63-mile) course in under 24 hours (21 hours, 48 minutes to be precise), finishing 86th out of 338 participants, and 15th place in the ladies’ section.
In addition to ‘T’s role at St Michael’s, in March 2020, at the start of the Covid pandemic, her local employee, The Helping Hand Company, accepted her request to be furloughed so that she was available to support the Hospice as a “ward runner”.
‘T’ said: “Both the company and employees were a driving force behind my Ultra Challenge success. They have always acknowledged my personal need to do what I can for the Hospice and have further given significant support from assisting with my physical training sessions to making monetary donations”.
Sadly, ‘T’ lost both her father in 2012 and her sister, in 2016 to cancer.
‘T’ said, “My sister needed a bone marrow transplant, and I was a near-perfect match. But, two days before the transplant was due to take place, she died.”
Although neither her sister nor father were cared for by St Michael’s, it was this experience which helped ‘T’, decide she wanted to support her local hospice, St Michael’s.
‘T’ has reached her Cotswold Way Challenge target of £2,000 for St Michael’s. However, her page is still open to receive donations and messages.
“I have saved all the lovely messages that I have received on my JustGiving page as they really do mean so much to me.”
Just click here to visit ‘T’s page and further read her story