When Huddersfield people use Kirkwood Hospice, Overgate Hospice or the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice their families are often inspired to raise money as a way of saying thank you.

Robert Sutcliffe talks to a family who did just that ... and discovers the amazing story that inspired fundraising for the hospice in the first place

Last year just weeks before Christmas the Sykes family were given devastating news.

Their much-loved mum, Carolynne, was given only three weeks to live.

A routine operation to remove her thyroid had turned out to be anything but.

Her son Jamie said: “My beautiful mum at the age of 63 was diagnosed with Stage 4 anaplastic thyroid cancer and given three weeks to live.

“No operation, no chemotherapy, no drugs, no chance. We were all devastated. Mum was in the care of Kirkwood Hospice a few days later.

Carolynne Sykes with her granddaughter Arabella Rose

“The palliative care team were superb, the whole team at Kirkwood and the volunteers did a magnificent job looking after mum and making the precious times she had left comfortable and relatively normal.

“She always had a smile on her face and was so brave until her final days. The staff could not do enough for mum and us who stayed with her every day.”

Sadly Carolynne who lived at St Mary’s Mews, Honley, died on February 1.

But so inspired were her family by Kirkwood’s care they determined to give something back.

Members of the family, husband Peter Sykes, sister Lyndsay O’Hara, brother-in-law Gerry O’Hara, cousin Dale Sykes, auntie Trish Martin, uncle Ian Sykes and friend Fay Dolphin completed the hospice’s Midnight Memory Walk.

Jamie added: “Then my uncle Ian decided that for his 60th birthday he would like to do the Yorkshire Three peaks challenge in memory of mum and to raise money.

Midnight memory walk in aid of Kirkwood Hospice

“The whole family went to the Yorkshire Dales to support myself, Dale, Gerry O’Hara and other members of the family who also did one or two of the peaks or helped with support.

“The Three Peaks was a huge challenge and to raise more money I decided I would shave my hair off at the top of the final peak, Ingleborough, if I reached my target ... I then almost doubled it.

“Dale also braved the shave to raise some more money.

“It was a long and emotional day but all who set out to complete the challenge did so in under 10 hours.

“We felt extremely proud to be able to give something back to Kirkwood after the care they give to so many people.”

The Three Peaks challenge finished!!!! From left to right Gerry OHara, Dale Sykes, Ian Sykes and Jamie Sykes

The latest event for Kirkwood was a fun bowling day at Farnley Tyas yesterday Sunday, (Sept 18), organised by Honley Conservative club – where Carolynne was a valued member and a good friend to all.

Collectively, £3,059 has been raised for the hospice with the hope that even more will be raised in the future.

Anyone who would like to donate more money to Kirkwood can do so by clicking on the following links: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jim-Sykes3 and www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Dale-Sykes

Kirkwood Hospice - how it all began

The history of Kirkwood Hospice began in June 1981 after the screening of a play called Going Gently on BBC2.

The play showed the last days of two men dying, afraid and alone, from terminal illnesses in a drab and grey hospital ward. It highlighted a vital need for close, loving attention in a more compassionate environment for those confronting their final days.

After the play aired, a moving television review was printed in the Huddersfield Examiner which went on to emphasise the virtues of the growing hospice movement in this country and expressed regret that there were no such facilities for local people in our area.

David Stocks, who had seen his father suffer from cancer and die at home because there was nowhere to take him, took inspiration from the article. He penned his own letter to the Examiner in response, stressing the need for a hospice in Huddersfield and urging like-minded people to get in touch.

David received a few responses to his letter and a small group, including Dr Alan Barlow, a Consultant at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, gathered to discuss the possibility of a hospice for Huddersfield.

During the meeting the small group decided to contribute 50p each to launch the Huddersfield Hospice Appeal with the eventual aim of raising enough money to build and equip a new hospice for the town.

David Stocks (right) and Dr Alan Barlow lay the foundation stone for Kirkwood Hospice

That group raised £4.50 that evening.

Less than three months later, some £10,000 had been raised.

In 1983 the Dewsbury Hospice Appeal, which had been raising funds for a hospice in North Kirklees, combined with the Huddersfield Hospice Appeal and it was decided to have one hospice for the whole of Kirklees.

Fundraising continued day after day, week after week and month after month throughout the local area to make the idea of a hospice for Kirklees a reality.

Throughout these first few years, David and the appeal committee were constantly overwhelmed by the generosity of the community and by their desire to have a hospice for local people.

Kirkwood Hospice opened its doors in March 1987 to care for local people living with life-limiting illnesses and provide support for their families and friends, free of charge.