Care charity for patients with any terminal illness honours top volunteers

BY TOBY PORTER
toby@slpmedia.co.uk

A volunteer was named legacy ambassador of the year by a terminal illness charity at its first awards ceremony held last week.

Karen Green has been volunteering for the charity, Marie Curie, for more than 15 years, working with fundraisers across the south-east of England.

Among those to congratulate her was actress Alison Steadman, – who has twice won Olivier awards for her work and received two BAFTA nominations.

Karen’s association with the charity began after experiencing, first-hand the wonderful care and support her mum received from Marie Curie Nurses after she had been diagnosed with a terminal illness.

She works as a legacy ambassador, helping to promote gifts in wills by sharing her own personal story.

The awards were held to celebrate and thank the many people who have shown tremendous hard work and commitment to support Marie Curie through various fundraising activities and raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to help the charity provide care and support for people living with a terminal illness and their families.

Karen, from Purley, said: “It was a wonderful day and was humbling to be among so many other amazing Marie Curie supporters. I was completely shocked and surprised when I was told that I had won the award.

“I decided to leave a gift in my will to Marie Curie because of the wonderful care that my mum Elsie Sands, received. Making my will was such an easy process and I know it can make a big difference to future generations of people living with a terminal illness.

“I want to help Marie Curie to continue providing excellent nursing care and support to people like my mum so that their remaining time is as easy and as peaceful as possible. It is my way of saying a very big thank you for everything Marie Curie did for my family.”

Alex Hyde-Smith, Marie Curie’s director of fundraising said: “It was an honour to attend the first Fundraising Excellence Awards to thank our valued supporters for all they do for Marie Curie and the many people and their families they have helped to support.

“Karen is such an inspiration who has gone above and beyond for the charity. Everyone at Marie Curie is so grateful for her support. We hope that receiving this award as recognition of her efforts shows how important she is to us. Without everything our fundraisers do, we cannot continue our vital work.”

Marie Curie is the UK’s leading charity for people living with any terminal illness, and their families.

The charity offers expert nursing care, guidance and support to help people get the most from the time they have left. It employs more than 2,700 nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals, and with its nine hospices around the UK, is the largest provider of hospice beds outside the NHS.

If you’ve got questions about terminal illness or simply want someone to talk to, call the Marie Curie Support Line on 08000 902 309 or visit mariecurie.org.uk/help