The bravery shown by her patients will act as a spur for Alison Arnold when she faces her own fears.
Alison will join other daredevils in a wing walk in aid of East Cheshire Hospice where she is a health care assistant.
Alison joins two other Hospice @Home team colleagues inspired to get involved with fundraising activities by the courage shown by the patients they visit.
Jo Helm undertakes a Sahara trek later this year, while Elaine Taylor is having a sponsored head shave.
Seeing how patients and their families cope with the challenges at end-of-life, supported by the Hospice, motivated them.
Alison, who joined the Hospice in January, said: “I’d worked in the community a lot with vulnerable people in different kinds of roles, but never with those at end-of-life.
“I just instantly connected with patients, realising that not long into my second week.
“Until then I’d always been a little bit frightened about death and when my dad Peter passed away in 2017, I didn’t understand the different stages he was going through with his cancer.
“There was no-one there explaining it to me, so wasn’t able to make such a good connection with him towards the end of his life.
“When I started working at the Hospice I was absolutely blown away by the dignity and respect paid to people at end-of-life and how we support them to have a good death.
“I just feel really proud to be working for the Hospice. It’s a privilege and humbling.
“Working with such caring and compassionate people, I felt settled the minute I entered the Hospice so it was important to me to try to do something.”
Alison Arnold who is part of the Hospice @Home team which goes out to visit patients.
Friend John Mycoe will be there to see Alison sit on top of a 1940s Boeing Stearman biplane over a Gloucestershire airfield on July 11.
Alison said: “I’ve a fear of heights, so the first challenge for me is getting up the ladder to climb on to the plane.
“I’ve seen frightened patients facing their fears head-on in the latter stages of life and can’t know what that’s like, but this is my way of connecting with fear and trying to overcome it.
“I’m very cautious – the most daring thing I’ve done is climb Mam Tor. Colleagues who’ve done the wing walk said it’s a wonderful experience and I won’t regret it.”
* To sponsor Alison visit justgiving.com/fundraising/alison-arnold19
Back to all newsThank you so much for choosing to support East Cheshire Hospice. You may never know how much your gift means, but we know that it will make the world of difference to our patients and their families.
