West Leeds fundraiser Hannah Park has taken on her biggest challenge yet – climbing Snowdon to raise funds for a hospice which gave her dad “his life back”.
Hannah’s dad, Chris, was diagnosed with mesothelioma last year. When his pain became severe and impossible to manage at home, Sue Ryder Nurses supported the family through weeks of trialling different medications.
Eventually, they recommended a short stay at the hospice for specialist symptom management, something Hannah says the family didn’t realise hospices like Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice offered.
“People hear the word hospice and think you go in and never come out,” she said. “But my dad went in for medical care. They monitored him, tried different drugs, and got his pain under control. He came home feeling more like the dad we knew. None of us had a clue hospices did that.”
Chris spent four weeks at Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice while the team worked to stabilise his symptoms. Hannah said the team made it feel like a “home from home”.
“My dad’s a big, strong man, and seeing him like that was really tough. But the staff were unreal with all of us. I’d sit with him, watch football on his iPad, have a beer, and they’d pop in to see if we needed anything. It felt normal, and that’s all you want in a moment like that.”
Inspired by the care her dad received, Hannah – who has worked at Grumpy’s in Farsley for seven years – decided she wanted to take on something physically and emotionally challenging to give back to the hospice.
“I’d never done anything like this before. I wanted something tough, something that would really mean something. When I’m struggling on that mountain, I was thinking of my dad and my friend Kelly, who we lost to cancer recently. That’s what got me up there.”
Hannah trained for months, tackling Yorkshire peaks and long weekend hikes. She’s raised more than £5,000, a total she says she never expected.
“The support has blown me away. Everyone who has supported and donated have left such kind words about my dad. It shows how much people think of him. It’s been overwhelming in the best way.”
Speaking about how the hike went, Hannah said: “Snowdon is complete, and I still can’t quite believe we did it. It was a massive challenge for me. I only started walking last spring, and nothing I’d done before came close to this.
“The views were unreal, but the climb was tough, and there were moments when I didn’t think I’d make it physically. But mentally I was so determined, and having Rox by my side kept me going. When we finally saw the summit, way up in the sky, we just pushed each other and got there.
“I’m so incredibly proud of us both. For some people Snowdon might be an easy weekend walk, but for us it was huge, and we did it.”
Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice provides expert palliative care, symptom management and emotional support to people living with life‑limiting conditions, as well as their families.
You can still donate to Hannah’s challenge here.
