‘Gill’s Boys’ take on hospice fundraising walk

A WESTBURY man and his friends and family joined hundreds of other men in Dorothy House’s Men’s Walk fundraiser recently, in memory of local woman, Gill Down.

Kevin Down, husband to Gill, who died in December, led the ‘Gill’s Boys’ team on the eight-mile walk to raise money for the Winsley hospice charity.

Dorothy House Hospice Care cared for Gill and her family after her cancer diagnosis became terminal in 2015.

Gill was first diagnosed with cancer in 2013, aged 43.

Kevin said, “Dorothy House came into our lives when we needed them. The whole of the hospice care and family support team were amazing and helped us come to terms with Gill’s diagnosis and the needs of the children.

“I took part in the Bath Men’s Walk in memory of Gill and to give something back to Dorothy House. All their staff are amazing and we couldn’t have wanted better care. I hope that the funds raised by the ‘Gill’s Boys’ team will enable the hospice to continue giving their outstanding care and support to other families at a difficult time in their lives.”

Kevin’s family were offered counselling and ongoing help from the family support team at Dorothy House to help them talk openly and adjust to living with Gill’s illness.

Kevin added, “One of the toughest things for us was telling the children and family about Gill’s diagnosis. Dorothy House supported us to talk openly to my children and our whole family. Even though this was hard, it helped our children and family understand what was happening.”