The 2010 Starlight Stroll aims to recruit 800 walkers for what is set to be a fantastic night out in aid of the Hospice which provides vital care from its Selly Park base to people with life-limiting illnesses from Birmingham and Sandwell.

The heavenly event has already received the backing of BBC Midlands Today anchorwoman Suzanne Virdee, who has signed up to walk the 10-mile route around Edgbaston, Kings Heath and Selly Oak on July 3.

Suzanne, a keen walker, said she was delighted to support this year’s Starlight Stroll, the Hospice’s flagship event.

‘Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice provides a vital service to the people of Birmingham and Sandwell, so I had no hesitation in saying yes when fundraisers from the hospice asked for my support,’ she said.

‘And having seen what the hospice does for patients and their relatives going through the most difficult of times I would like to urge as many ladies as possible to sign up for this year’s Starlight Stroll.’

She added: ‘I’m really looking forward to taking part in what is set to be a night out to remember in aid of a brilliant local cause. We’re really lucky to have a facility like Birmingham St Mary’s but it only exists because of the goodwill of local people. So come along and support us on July 3.’

Another participant of the event will be Janice Stirrup, whose husband Geoff passed away at the Hospice in January this year.

Janice, of Oldbury, is taking part as a way of giving something back following the care her husband received from the Hospice’s specialist nursing staff.

She said: ‘During Geoff‘s final days the nurses and staff at Birmingham St Mary’s really pulled out the stops to ensure he enjoyed the best possible quality of life.

‘Geoff lived life to the full; he was a keen mountaineer and snowboarder, so initially he was reluctant to go into the Hospice. But he changed his mind as his condition worsened and it made a big difference in alleviating not only his but also the family’s suffering. The staff did everything; nothing was a problem for them.’

Hospice community fundraiser Charlotte Sudbury expects July 3 to be a memorable night.

‘We’re really excited about this year’s Starlight Stroll, because it’s going to be the biggest we’ve organised to date. It is the key event in our fundraising calendar so it’s vital that people come out and support us.

‘All you ladies out there, who would like to get a different perspective on the city while raising money for your local hospice, come and join us for a starlight stroll this July.’

As the city’s only independent hospice for adults, Birmingham St Mary’s relies on direct community support to enable it to care for local people with terminal illnesses.

An appeal has also been launched for male volunteers to act as marshals during the Starlight Stroll.

Case Study on Janice Stirrup

Geoff Stirrup had just returned from his latest adventure, mountaineering in the Alps, when he started to feel breathless. The symptoms seemed strange for a man, who at 52 years old, was well-known among friends as a keen climber and snowboarder.

After several visits to doctors, who struggled to diagnose the reason for Geoff’s problem, it was finally confirmed that he was suffering from incurable mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos.

Geoff, from Oldbury, had come into contact with the deadly substance while working as a carpenter around Birmingham.

‘I always remember the day he was diagnosed: November the 13th, it was my birthday,’ says Geoff’s daughter Lucy. ‘Now I feel like my birthday has been stolen. It was so hard to take in because dad was such an active man. He’d only just come back from climbing Mount Blanc when he fell ill.’

That day marked the beginning of a journey that would bring the family to Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice.

The level of care at Birmingham St Mary’s was second to none and for a family who has been through what we have, it’s difficult
to imagine how we would have coped without their supportGeoff spent the final month of his life at the Hospice in Selly Park, cared for by specialist nurses who provided everything from medication and physiotherapy to bereavement support and accommodation to his wife Janice and their children.

Janice takes up the story.

‘It’s hard to describe what the nursing staff did for Geoff and the family,’ she said. ‘The level of care at Birmingham St Mary’s was second to none and for a family who has been through what we have, it’s difficult to imagine how we would have coped without their support.’

Prior to being admitted to the Inpatient Unit, Janice joined the Hospice’s Carers’ Group, receiving help and information about medication, physiotherapy, social services and how to care for and support Geoff, in order to ease his pain while he was still at home. Additionally, the family was given counselling on how to prepare for their impending bereavement.

‘Until you face the kind of situation we did, you just don’t realise the broad range of care services provided by a hospice. Even before Geoff was admitted there was invaluable support helping us to cope with his condition,’ Janice said.

She added: ‘Nobody wants to go into a Hospice and Geoff was no different. He resisted going for a long time and then one day he felt he couldn’t remain at home any longer and said, ‘Come on, I better go in’. Since his diagnosis, his condition deteriorated very gradually but by August 2009 he started to go downhill on a week-by-week basis.’

For the family, it was the right decision as it meant Geoff was immediately receiving 24-hour care from professional, specialist staff.

Until you face the kind of situation we did, you just don’t realise the broad range of care services provided by a hospiceJanice said: ‘Towards the end, we were able to stay at the Hospice with Geoff using the Inpatient flat which has space for relatives. The flat was situated close to Geoff’s room, so it enabled us to be there for long periods at a time but also we had space where we could retreat and take a break, which you need when you’re caring for someone with a terminal illness.’

In addition to Geoff’s medical requirements, Birmingham St Mary’s was able to help him realise a long-held ambition: to fly in a helicopter. Pulling in favours from various contacts, staff at the hospice arranged for Geoff to take a flight with HeliAir in Warwickshire.

‘The helicopter ride gave Geoff something of a happy ending. It brought an incredible amount of joy during what was a very sad time especially as he was able to share the experience with our children Lucy and Sam,’ Janice said.

Since Geoff’s death in January, Janice has become a close friend of the Hospice, turning an incredibly sad event in her life into something very positive.

Instead of having flowers at Geoff’s funeral, the family asked for donations to be made to the Hospice through a Butterfly Fund. Last September daughter Lucy, following in her father’s adventurous footsteps, did a sponsored bungee jump with all proceeds going to the Hospice. The family also hosted a barbecue on Geoff’s birthday to raise money for Birmingham St Mary’s.

In her latest bid to support the Hospice, Janice has volunteered to front this year’s Starlight Stroll, Birmingham St Mary’s flagship fundraising event of 2010. Janice will be joining an anticipated 800 women on the 10-mile sponsored walk around Birmingham’s suburbs during the evening of July 3.

‘I’m delighted to get behind the Starlight Stroll. I think it will be a wonderful event and a great way for me to say thank you for everything that the staff at Birmingham St Mary’s did for my family.

Starlight Stroll’s vital statistics:

• A 10 mile circuit
• Starts from the University of Birmingham at 10pm
• Covers Harborne, Edgbaston, Kings Heath and Moseley, passing the Hospice on the final stretch.
• Should take between three and five hours
• Anticipated 800 participating ladies with fundraising target of £80, 000 to help fund Hospice running costs
• More than 50 marshals needed to encourage walkers and keep them safe

Entry forms and information about volunteering as a marshal can be obtained from:
Charlotte Sudbury, Community Fundraiser, Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice, 176 Raddlebarn Road, Selly Park, Birmingham B29 7DA.

Or alternatively telephone: 0121 4721191

Further details about Starlight Stroll can also be found on Birmingham St Mary’s Facebook page:
http://en-gb.facebook.com/pages/Birmingham-St-Marys-Hospice/117822558818