This festive season, KEMP Hospice is proud to launch its “Shine a Light” appeal, calling on the Wyre Forest community to remember, celebrate, and support loved ones through a heartfelt fundraising campaign.
As a charity that never charges for its care, KEMP Hospice depends on the generosity of its supporters to continue providing its specialist services — including day hospice care and bereavement counselling — free of charge.
In 2021, Richard, then 54, was living a normal life. After experiencing sudden vision problems and feeling unwell, he underwent extensive hospital testing, learning he had a mass on his brain. On New Year’s Eve, also his birthday, he received the devastating diagnosis of a terminal brain tumour and was given 12 to 20 months to live.
Despite the odds, Richard continues to defy expectations. Now, more than 18 months later, he is one of a very small number of people to survive beyond that point. But his life has been transformed: he can’t drive, can no longer work, and relies heavily on the care and support of his wife, Lucy.
In summer 2024, Richard found the specialist, compassionate help he needed at KEMP Day Hospice. He says, “As soon as you walk through the doorway into reception, all the world is shut behind you … you just feel like this is going to be a great day.”
KEMP Clinical Nurse Specialist, Emma says “Richard is a lively, funny man who fills our hospice with laughter. But behind his positivity, he’s facing a lifechanging illness that’s altered everything for him and his family. At KEMP, we’re here to support our patients like Richard – offering expert care, a listening ear, and moments of lightness that help him keep being himself. It’s about helping him live fully, with dignity and joy, no matter what he’s going through.”
In addition to the Day Hospice, Richard now uses KEMP’s bereavement support, including counselling. As he says: “Taking part in counselling sessions has meant I have explored questions … Why me? What have I done? … And by talking … it eases the pain of realising what you can and can’t do.”
Richard has generously allowed his story to be shared this Christmas — a testament to hope, courage, and friendship. Through this “Shine a Light” campaign, KEMP Hospice is inviting people to donate and support the care services KEMP Hospice provides. You can choose to ‘Shine a Light’ for those you love, ‘Shine a Light’ for those you miss, and ‘Shine a Light’ for KEMP Hospice. Your support helps ensure that others in the Wyre Forest, just like Richard can continue to access vital care when they need it most.
To donate visit KEMP Hospice’s website www.kemphospice.org.uk/shine-a-light