SISTERS Lydia and Maddie Robinson were determined to support St Luke’s after experiencing for themselves the full extent of our care for both patients and their families.
That’s why they signed up to take part in the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, the 26 mile course that takes walkers through the stunning Yorkshire scenery of the Dales National Park, starting with smallest of the peaks, Pen-y-ghent, before going on over 12 hours to tackle the peaks of Ingleborough and Whernside, climbing a final total of 1585 metres!
“Every year we want to do something to raise money in memory of our dad Graham who was a patient at St Luke’s for a very short time - but in that short time, the things that the St Luke’s team did for him and for the family as a whole was at a level you can’t put a value on,” Lydia explains.
“For me the most important memory was the last time I saw my dad, which was also my birthday.
“I was able to sit down with him and even though he was not awake or conscious I was able to open my presents with him – it was something I will always remember.
“Doing something like the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge was not something me and Maddie are even remotely used to doing but we saw it and decided we’d give it a go.
“We were fine until we got to the day and then we did wonder what we had signed up for – but we survived it and even got to the end just inside the official time!
“I have Fibromyalgia so I was limited to the training I could do in advance but that just made me more determined on the day.
“And what kept me going was the thought not just of my dad and everything St Luke’s had done for him but also the thought of everybody who had sponsored me so there was a real sense of achievement that we not only did it but also raised close to £700.
“I just kept thinking how that money would help somebody else get the care that was given to my dad and to the whole family.
“I’d say to anybody else thinking about doing it this year that you should go for it because it’s an experience you’ll never forget.”
Sign up for Yorkshire Three Peaks at www.stlukeshospice.org.uk/Y3P