Hospice Care Week 2026
The theme of Hospice Care Week 2026 (5th – 11th October 2026) – Don’t leave hospice care to chance – is a reminder that while everyone deserves access to compassionate care and support right to the end, hospices are underfunded and under more pressure than ever.
At St Mary’s Hospice, care doesn’t happen by chance. It’s made possible by the dedicated people who work, volunteer, support and lead the hospice every day.
This Hospice Care Week, we’re sharing stories from across St Mary’s and introducing you to some of the people who make a difference – the people who don’t leave hospice care to chance.
Will you leave hospice care to chance?
Hospice care eases the physical and emotional pain of death and dying, helping people to focus on living, right until the end.
By supporting St Mary’s Hospice with a monthly donation – whatever you can afford – you can help us continue providing care to local patients and families going through some of the toughest times imaginable.
Only around 20% of our income comes from government funding, meaning we rely heavily on the generosity of our local community. A regular gift helps us plan for the future with greater certainty and be there for the people who will need us.
We can’t afford to leave hospice care to chance. This Hospice Care Week, please join us in making sure our care is there when local people need it most.
Stories from our people
Jo’s Story
Jo is one of our Nursing Associates at St Mary’s Hospice. She joined us in 2019, the year after her brother passed away at the hospice. She started as a Health Care Assistant before advancing into a registered role.
Jo’s reasons for joining St Mary’s were linked to a specific moment she recalls from when her brother was in our care…
Esmie’s Story
Esmie is St Mary’s Corporate Partnerships Manager, though she first began working with us as a Clinical Administrator.
Esmie knew St Mary’s was a special place to be part of, but she never imagined that her own family would one day need our support when her grandad, Frank, was diagnosed with lung cancer…
Emma’s Story
Emma is a Clinical Administrator in St Mary’s Compassionate Communities Team, our group of local services that helps ensure people in our communities have access to the support they need to live well.
When people think about hospice care, they often assume it’s all about the final days of someone’s life. While an important part of the support we provide, hospice care is about so much more…
Alison’s Story
Alison is St Mary’s Legacy Manager. She works with people who are considering leaving a gift in their Will to St Mary’s. Gifts in Wills are a vital source of income that helps St Mary’s ensure hospice care is there for generations to come.
Alison joined St Mary’s as temporary Head of Fundraising to cover maternity leave almost a decade ago. She had been involved with us for years prior, having managed Ford Park, the neighbouring park next to our main in-patient unit in Ulverston…
Beryl’s Story
Beryl is one of our amazing volunteers, supporting on the busy reception desk at St Mary’s Hospice and in our retail shop in Ulverston.
Beryl started volunteering after retiring as a Deputy Head Teacher, having already formed a connection with St Mary’s when her dear friend, Cath, was cared for at the hospice 20 years ago…
Gerry’s Story
Gerry has been a GP in Ulverston since 1985 and became a St Mary’s Trustee in 2025.
Gerry’s connection to St Mary’s is deeply personal, as his late wife was cared for at the hospice before she died in 1996.
“That time she was in the hospice was so important to us,” said Gerry…
Leigh’s Story
Leigh is a Dementia Activities Coordinator at St Mary’s Hospice. After a 20-year career in fashion, she moved into the care sector following the experience of seeing the care her late dad received at a hospice before his death.
Leigh studied fashion at university before working as a fashion buyer.
Sadly, in 2018, her dad was diagnosed with a brain tumour and was cared for at a hospice in Essex…
