A couple dedicated to helping a hospice are to do a 74-mile trek after their last fundraiser almost ended in tragedy.
Holmfirth couple Keith and Helen Wilberforce have been volunteers at The Kirkwood hospice in Dalton for the last six years, both fundraising and doing voluntary work in the hospice, befriending patients and supporting them.
Keith, 77, does occasional walks for The Kirkwood and was doing the Cumbria Way through the Lake District with two friends in June 2023 when disaster struck.
Helen, 73, was moving their luggage between the accommodation they’d booked but on the second day she suffered a heart attack and was rushed by ambulance to Lancaster Hospital.
She was later transferred to Blackpool Hospital where an angiogram revealed that all three coronary arteries were seriously blocked. She needed an urgent triple heart bypass and underwent a six-hour operation.
Keith said: “Those were the longest six hours of my life. The operation saved Helen’s life but she emerged as an invalid, scarred both physically and mentally.
“Initially she needed help with everything from dressing to eating but under the guidance of an NHS cardiac rehabilitation team she made painfully slow but steady progress until, eventually, she was walking out of doors.
“Firstly, it was from the house to the first lamp post, then on the following day to the second lamp post and so on. Before long it was half a mile and eventually she was making it into Holmfirth and back again.
“It was at this point that we began to wonder about celebrating her new life by doing a fundraising walk together so we decided to try the Kirklees Way this September.”
The 74-mile route runs around the perimeter of Kirklees – the hospice’s catchment area – with The Kirkwood right at its centre. The couple have already reconnoitred the entire route and Helen is now managing up to 11 miles a day.
“Her determination is absolutely remarkable,” said Keith. “Earlier, she had problems with back pain and managed them with paracetamol. Now she is medication free by using walking poles. Never a thought of giving up. She has persevered and, in conjunction with a more ‘heart-friendly’ diet, has shed two stones and two dress sizes.”
The couple will do the Kirklees Way over nine days starting on Saturday, September 14. They will begin at Hade Edge, passing Holme, The Wessenden Valley, Marsden, Scammonden Water, the northern edge of Huddersfield, Clifton, Hartshead, Birkenshaw, Batley, Dewsbury, Flockton, Shelley, Hepworth and back to Hade Edge.
During the walk, Helen will, coincidentally, celebrate her 74th birthday which has inspired others to do fundraising involving the number 74.
A friend’s nine-year-old son is running a mile a day for 74 days while a 93-year-old friend of the couple will be doing the splits once a day for 74 days!
Helen said: “We hope people will join us during the walk, whether it’s for the whole walk, a short stretch, or even virtually. And if walking isn’t their thing, maybe they’ll sponsor us. There are so many ways to be part of this. The Kirkwood is for everyone and we’re all part of this community.”
The Kirkwood serves all those throughout Kirklees and their families who have a life limiting condition, providing much more than end of life care. Last year, 93% of those admitted to the in-patient unit returned home afterwards for ongoing care.
The Kirkwood relies on fundraising for 80% of its income and Hospice UK, the organisation representing the hospice movement, has recently warned of a funding crisis in the sector and reductions in services.
Anybody wanting to sponsor Keith and Helen can do so at https://www.justgiving.com/page/helen-keith74
Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content and copywriting.
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