A family from Burnham-On-Sea will step out on an emotional fundraising walk next month to raise funds for Weston Hospicecare which cared for their 37-year-old relative during her terminal cancer.
Chloe Kaye, from Burnham, will be joined by family members when she tackles the Mendip Challenge in memory of her cousin Claire Cope.
Claire was cared for in her final days at the hospice’s inpatient unit at Jackson-Barstow House in 2018.
Claire’s story touched the hearts of many. While Claire was a patient of the hospice, inpatient unit manager Jill Nash said the couple’s calmness and warmth was inspiring.
Claire’s mother and brother will join Chloe and other family members at the Weston Hospicecare Mendip Challenge in her memory on 2nd June. The event is the charity’s flagship fundraiser which tasks participants with a 10, 20 or 30-mile course along the West Mendip Way.
Chloe said: “The support the hospice gave Claire and the family was, and is, unbelievable.”
“I decided to do the challenge as my mum did the 20 miles last year and said how emotional yet uplifting it was, so we all decided to do it this year.”
“My mother is walking the 30 miles and hoping to meet me at the start of the 20-mile route. My father and Claire’s mother and brother will be walking 10 miles.”
“We all hope to meet in the final 10-mile stretch to walk to the finish line together for Claire.”
Before Claire died staff and volunteers at Weston Hospicecare helped to organise a dream wedding to partner Rob in May 2018. Claire lost her battle just 10 days later.
More than 900 people registered to take part in the Mendip Challenge in 2018 raising more than £66,000 for the hospice.
There are now more than 500 people including Chloe and her family who have signed up to take part in the hospice’s flagship fundraising event.
Help the hospice make this year’s Mendip Challenge the most successful ever by signing up to take part in the charity’s 30th anniversary year by clicking here. The charity must raise £4.2million every year in order to support annual running costs with only 20% of this figure provided by the NHS. This means support from the community is essential.
