A Weston youngster and her mother will take on the Weston Hospicecare Midnight Beach Walk on Friday 7 September in memory of grandmother Margaret Mansell.
Margaret was a patient at Weston Hospicecare while being treated for lung cancer before she died on 29 April 2009 aged 55.
Amelia Tuppeny, aged nine, will participate with her mum Michelle Bustin in memory of their grandmother and mother nine years after they last took part.
Amelia was just nine months when her mother carried her around the course in 2009 and now as a nine-year-old she wants to support the hospice alongside her mother.
She said: “I wanted to do this walk with my mum in memory of my nan and help raise money for the hospice for the care they gave to my nan and support to my family.
“I am really looking forward to taking part in this event and hoping to raise £200 for the charity.
“I think it’s good that the hospice can let children like me get involved in this event and be able to raise money in memory of their loved ones.”
Before arriving at the hospice, Margaret took part in the Midnight Beach Walk in 2008, just one week after she was discharged from hospital.
Her daughter Michelle said: “My mum was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. She was given the all clear a year later but sadly it returned which then went to secondary lung cancer.
“She was moved to the hospice and while in the hospice the staff were amazing with my mum as well as me and my family. The nurses would come in to my mum’s room and would take it in turn who looked after Amelia and they would take her down to the day patient unit so I could be with mum.
“Anything I wanted or needed they were there. On the Saturday night my mum had a small service in her room which the chaplain Karen did and christened my mum. We had already planned for Amelia’s christening in June but knew my mum wouldn’t be here so Karen suggested that Amelia had a small service with my mum.
“We then invited some of my mum’s family. Her brother Michael and his wife Gill, my mum’s sister Betty, My mum’s father George and friends Sarah, Val and Donna, myself and my ex-partner.
“Amelia wore the christening gown that my brother and I wore when we were both christened. The staff were all very supportive. My brother who lives in Bahrain was unable to return home to say goodbye to my mum due to work, but the hospice was able to bring the phone to my mum so she could speak to her son.
“This made my mum smile hearing his voice, he was telling her that he was going to see the formula one on the Sunday and how he was looking forward to this.
“On the Sunday my mum was making some noises and I wasn’t able to make out what she was doing, so called in one of the nurses to see if she could help see what my mum was asking for. We then worked out that she was making the sound of a car and we then remembered her call she had with my brother Jeff the day before.
“She wanted the formula one on the telly so she could be there with my brother. My mum was able to visit my brother in Bahrain in September 2008 and enjoyed her time visiting him. My brother met his girlfriend Edelyn out there and he was gutted that my mum wasn’t able to meet her or know much about her. My mum had a feeling that my brother had met someone and was really pleased for him.
“In 2008 my mum did the Midnight Beach Walk with her sister Betty. My mum had been in hospital and was discharged a week before the walk took place.
“In 2009 my aunties and I took part in the Midnight Beach Walk in memory of mum. We did this in our pyjamas and Amelia also did this with me at nine months old as I carried her for the walk.
“I wanted to do the walk this year in memory of my mum and be able to give back something to the hospice. I talked about it with Amelia and she told me that she would like to do this with me and raise her own money to thank the hospice for the care they gave her nan.”
The Midnight Beach Walk will follow a 5km route around Weston seafront, starting and finishing at the Tropicana on Marine Parade.
Women can join Michelle and Amelia by signing up at the hospices registration page by clicking here. For more information about the event, visit the hospice’s event page by clicking here.