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Why we are walking?

Our walk this year will raise important funds to support the annual costs of providing medication for our patients whether in the Hospice or at home– essential medication that will relieve distressing symptoms, including pain and which will alleviate much suffering and provide people with a significant improvement in their quality of life.

We are aiming to raise £50,000

St Raphael’s Hospice – like many modern hospices – is much more than a place where terminally ill people spend their final days. Since it was established in 1987, the hospice has developed a network of services to provide specialist care for patients at the end stages of their illness.

The hospice services not only include an inpatient unit, plus outpatient clinic, but also day care and a Community Palliative Care Team. Patients can also visit for a few days of respite care or to have their medication adjusted to help symptoms and then return home. Each year the medical and nursing teams provide care for more than 900 patients from the Sutton and Merton areas.

It costs a total of £3,625,000 per year to provide these services. Of the total costs the NHS (Sutton & Merton Primary Care Trust provides £990,000 (27.5%) leaving £2,635,000 to be raised from charitable fundraising.