My Story

Last year we lost our wonderful mum, Karen Vincett, after her illness with ovarian cancer. Mum was like no-one else on this planet. She was funny, clever, strange, supportive, beautiful - a really remarkable woman. We miss her every day.

We are lucky to have had such an incredible Mum, and also so lucky that even during most of the time she had cancer, she was able to do the things she wanted; seeing her family, doing the garden, or going for walks. However at the end of 2022 Mum started to become much sicker, and a nurse suggested an admission to St Francis Hospice. 

We can't exaggerate what an amazing job the Hospice did that admission. Mum went from having no appetite to being able to finish the majority of a big plate of chips, within about 6 hours of getting to the hospice! We know that was partly due to the medical care she received, but Mum used to say she thought it was something about the Hospice itself. All of the staff and volunteers were so kind and this created such a supportive, warm, and safe environment for her to be cared for in. Mum loved nattering away to everyone, and she actually said she loved her stay there, which is a strange way to describe somewhere you have gone for end of life care. But we all felt like that about her stay - suddenly there was positivity, and hope, and things were not quite so awful anymore.

Mum was discharged home after her symptoms improved and we were so lucky to have a family Christmas together. Sadly, Mum became poorly again in the New Year, and she had a few times she was supported by St Francis Hospice's "Hospice at Home" team. We know Mum and Dad found the support the nurses gave invaluable during those last months.

All of us Vincetts now feel so strongly about St Francis Hospice and the work they do. We (Anna and Sophie) both love running and we spoke about the idea of running the marathon with Mum. She loved this idea and we hope we do her proud! It is also our way of saying thank you to St Francis Hospice, for making all our lives that little bit better, but especially Mum's.

We really are honoured and excited to be running in her memory and for this amazing organisation.

Any donations you can give, little or small, make a huge difference to other people who are using the Hospice's services.

Thank you so so much!

Love, Anna and Sophie xxx