A Mendip Challenge participant says she will never be able to thank Weston Hospicecare staff enough for the support they gave to her dad before he died.

Louise Walsh, from Axbridge, says her dad Peter Joiner was so grateful for the care given to him before he died in January after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

She will take on the 10-mile Mendip Challenge route with friends Keith, Bernie and Nick as team PJ in memory of her dad.

The Mendip Challenge is taking place on June 2 and participants can walk 10, 20 or 30 miles in aid of the cause.

More: Registration open for hospice’s flagship Mendip Challenge event.

Louise said: “If I can just help in a small way to give something back to the hospice it will be worth every sore muscle and blister.

“I really cannot explain just how amazing the hospice and all the staff there are.

“My dad was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in late 2017 and it was only a short time before the wonderful hospice team stepped in to offer support to our family.

“My mum was also offered support through the Wellbeing Centre at the hospice with regular treatments.

As dad’s main carer, it was just a little bit of time for her to relax and escape the physical and emotional stresses of caring for dad.

“Later on, dad was admitted as an inpatient to the hospice for 10 days and the whole time he was there he kept saying how lovely all the staff were and how grateful he was for their care.

“It may sound strange, but I felt the hospice was a lifesaver.

“Caring for dad at home had become physically impossible for my mum, and the stress of that on both her and dad was incredible.

“Being admitted to the hospice to spend his final days allowed dad to stop worrying about mum trying to care for him, and for mum to stop stressing about keeping him safe and pain-free.

“It meant they were able to become husband and wife again instead of patient and carer.

“For my brothers and I this was just the best thing to witness and it made Dad’s final two weeks as comfortable and relaxed as they could possibly be.

“I will never be able to thank the staff enough for what they did for dad and for mum.

“I know he received excellent 24-hour care when he was there.”

You can sign up to the event at westonhospicecare.org.uk/mendip