St Mary’s Hospice is proud to be taking part in Hospice UK’s national campaign This is Hospice Care alongside 127 hospices across the country, helping to raise awareness of the vital role hospice care plays in our communities.

The campaign aims to help protect the future of hospice care by raising awareness of the difference gifts in Wills can make, helping ensure compassionate care is available for generations to come.

If you’d to talk to someone about how you can help to secure the future of St Mary’s Hospice, please get in touch with our Gifts in Wills Manager, Alison Alger, via email: alison.alger@stmaryshospice.org.uk or phone: 01229 580305

Why are we part of the Hospice UK National Legacy Campaign?

Hospice care is about more than the care we provide at the end of life. It’s about being there when someone needs us most: offering expert care, comfort, practical support and reassurance to patients and the people who matter to them.

Across the UK, hospices are supporting hundreds of thousands of people every year, as well as the families, friends and carers around them.

At St Mary’s Hospice, we’re here for patients and families at some of the most challenging times in their lives. We’ve been here for people across Furness and South Lakes for more than 35 years, and with the support of our community, we hope to be here for the next 35 years and beyond.

This is Hospice Care advert

Take a look at our campaign video, offering a glimpse into the everyday moments, people and services that make hospice care so much more than many people realise.

The This is Hospice Care campaign aims to challenge perceptions of hospice care and help more people understand the wide range of support hospices provide to patients, families and carers across the UK.

You may also spot the campaign on ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and selected Sky channels.

Hospice care by numbers

These national figures from Hospice UK highlight the stark reality of how many people across the UK could benefit from hospice and palliative care, and the vital role hospices play in supporting patients, families and carers.

Peter and Fiona’s Story

On 5th July 2024, Fiona was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. Just weeks later, she was admitted to St Mary’s In-Patient Unit. Her husband, Peter, of 52 years, recalls how a young nurse stayed by his side as Fiona passed away peacefully on 7th August offering comfort and kindness at the moment he needed it most.

But our care did not end there.

After Fiona’s death, our team continued to support Peter through his grief.

From a simple, unhurried conversation with a staff member who took the time to truly listen, to ongoing complementary therapy sessions at our Barrow Hub, St Mary’s remained by his side.

Throughout their lives, Fiona and Peter had supported the hospice in small but meaningful ways – playing the lottery, donating furniture, giving what they could. Fiona’s final act of kindness was to leave a gift in her Will to St Mary’s Hospice.

Her legacy gift reflected the compassion she had experienced and ensured that other families would receive that same care in the future.

As Peter so simply puts it:

“Fiona and I never imagined we would need St Mary’s Hospice — but when we did, they were there for us, every step of the way.”

Why do Gifts in Wills matter?

Hospice UK’s national campaign also aims to reassure people that leaving a gift in a Will doesn’t have to be complicated — and that providing for loved ones always comes first. Even a small percentage of an estate can make a profound and lasting difference

If St Mary’s Hospice has touched your life, or if you believe in the care we provide, we hope you might consider including a gift in your Will, once your loved ones are provided for. It is a powerful way to ensure that families facing the most difficult days receive the support they so desperately need.

To find out more, please get in touch with our Gifts in Wills Manager, Alison Alger, via email: alison.alger@stmaryshospice.org.uk or phone: 01229 580305

There is never any obligation — simply information, if and when the time is right for you.

And if this story resonates with you, we would be so grateful if you would consider sharing it with friends, family or colleagues. By helping us spread the word about the importance of gifts in Wills, you are helping secure the future of hospice care for our whole community.

Find out more information using the link below.