"Walking the Sue Ryder Starlight Hike Cheltenham gives me space to remember Ken and give something back"

Gloucestershire

Shares 60-year-old Jacky Stewart, who will be stepping out under the stars for Sue Ryder this October to mark the tenth anniversary of her husband’s death.
Jacky, who lives in Tuffley, Gloucester, first took part in the charity’s evening remembrance walk shortly after her husband, Ken, died in March 2016. Ken was cared for at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice and then by the charity’s Hospice at Home team, which helped fulfil his wish to die at home with Jacky by his side.
In Ken's memory, she is gearing up to take on the Sue Ryder Starlight Hike Cheltenham sponsored by Allstone Speedy Skips and Monster Mix, which sets off from Ashley Manor Preparatory School on Saturday 17 October.
Jacky shares: “I first became aware of Sue Ryder when my husband, Ken, was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015. It’s hard to know the true impact Sue Ryder can have until it touches your life,” shares Jacky. “The whole team was wonderful, not only caring for Ken, but caring for me too. If I looked exhausted, they’d make me a coffee and check I was okay.”
“People don’t talk about death enough, and having a good death is so important. For me, Sue Ryder allowed Ken to have a good death.”
“They helped me to keep my promise to Ken: that he would die at home, and that I would be asleep beside him when he did,” Jacky adds.
Jacky who worked for Gloucestershire Constabulary for 33 years before life events led her to choose to retire early and become a Celebrant & Registration Officer, continues: “I lost several close family members in a short period: my father in 2014, Ken in 2016, my mother in 2018 and my son in 2019.”
“I take a philosophical approach to death and grief. I believe when it’s your time, it’s your time, but it was a difficult decade, and I decided life is too short. After losing so many people, I was going to retire at 55 and make the most of the time I had.”
For Jacky, changing her life not only meant moving to a more flexible job but giving back to Sue Ryder through fundraising and raising awareness.
“Walking the Sue Ryder Starlight Hike Cheltenham gives me to space to remember and celebrate Ken and the lives of everyone close to me who has died, but also an opportunity to give something back to Sue Ryder,” she says.
“The event is joyful. It’s poignant at times, especially when you walk through the beautifully lit hospice grounds, but still joyful.”
Sue Ryder Starlight Hike participants are invited to walk a 10km route, following a route around the spa town before passing through the tranquil grounds of Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, making every step count in memory of someone special.
The hike is not only the only fundraiser Jacky has taken part in. She has also completed the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu to raise money for the charity.
Through the trek, she met one of her closest friends, Tracey, and the friendship has led to years of travel adventures around the world. Tracey, Ken’s best friend Jim and his daughter Katie will join Jacky on this year's Starlight Hike.
Jacky remains actively involved with Sue Ryder through the Hospice User Group at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, which invites people to share feedback about the charity’s care, help shape improvements and ensure more people get the support they need.
Standard tickets for this year’s Sue Ryder Starlight Hike Cheltenham start from £20 per adult, which includes a t-shirt and special medal at the finish line. Teams of five or more can get 20% off their registration fee with the code TEAM20. Participants are encouraged to raise a suggested sponsorship of £100 or more per adult.
To find out more and to sign up, visit: sueryder.org/StarlightCheltenham
To support Jacky’s fundraising, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/jacky-stewart-starlight26

 

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