On Sunday 16th September my mum passed away aged 56 after a 4 year battle with stomach cancer. The final six days of her life was spent at St. Ann's Hospice in Heald Green, Stockport.

I was off work for the majority of September after my mum's brother also passed away due to a heart attack on the 7th September, just nine days before my mum.

I have been overwhelmed with the support received from the hospice both during and after my mum's death. I was very lucky to be able to stay with my mum both day and night beside her bed in a private room at the hospice. It was only whilst I was there that I found out they require £16,000 a day to survive and only 30% of this is provided by the NHS with the remaining 70% reliant on fundraising and donations.

At the end of her life my mum went 10 days without eating and 3 days without drinking. All of the family agree we need to do something significant to celebrate my mum's life and rather than jump out of a plane or a bungee jump we have decided to do something more fitting. Next year myself and a few members of the family are going to walk the Great Wall of China from 7th Sept-15th Sept 2013 in aid of the hospice to raise much needed funds and also awareness of the situation.

Anyone can join the event next September and further details can be found here http://www.charitychallenge.com/expedition.html?id=1603