On Wednesday, August 27 2025, Amanda Simpson set off on the challenge of walking The Camino de Santiago, as a way of raising funds for the local hospice which gave her mother, Gwendoline, a dignified death, after she could no longer care for her at home.

According to Amanda, Gwendoline suffered from cancer for the best part of a decade and was eventually diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. She suffered a stroke in the later stages of her illness, which resulted in paralysis on one side of her body. Gwendoline was then referred to Foyle Hospice where she was cared for as an inpatient.

Amanda explained: “My mum spent 6 weeks in Foyle Hospice which is much longer than the medics anticipated. This speaks volumes for the level of care which she received.

“Regarding The Camino, it is traditionally a pilgrimage and a spiritual journey, but I also want to look at it as a way of raising funds to express my gratitude for the care my mother received at Foyle Hospice in her final weeks. Foyle Hospice provided my Mum with a sense of calm and reassurance as she approached death, and she died peacefully.”

Gwendoline was a mother of three and worked as a Medical Receptionist at Causeway Hospital for 20 years. Amanda said: “My mum was a kind, caring and generous person, who loved fun and appreciated every act of kindness shown to her by others.  When she received her terminal cancer diagnosis, she thanked the doctor for their help with her treatment. This reflects the type of person she was.”

She continued: “When I learned that the hospice relies on the local community to raise approximately 65% of its funding, I was genuinely shocked. Under these circumstances, the hospice cannot commit to continuity of service provision because budget holders do know how much money will be generated by public donations. I want to use this fundraiser to highlight the need for adequate funding of palliative care services and to advocate for increased provision. We should not continue to under-fund a service which does so much for people in our community and where our loved ones can be cared for in a humane and dignified way.”

Amanda went on to highlight the important services which Foyle Hospice offers and the quality of care her mother received. She said: “My mum received attention at any hour of the day or night, and if she was worried or anxious, the staff took time to talk to her and comfort her.”

Amanda expressed her appreciation at not only the care which her mum received, but how she was treated as a family member at Foyle Hospice saying: “Whilst I worked remotely for much of 2024 to look after my Mum, I still combined caring with work in London and Belfast, so I was grateful to be offered an apartment within the hospice to reduce travel and be close to my Mum. The apartment had everything I needed. The accommodation is very helpful – particularly for families who live some distance away.”  

She continued: “I spent Christmas and New Year at Foyle Hospice. To my surprise, the chefs Bill and Ann presented me with Christmas dinner on Christmas Day, the pastoral staff held a Christmas service, and families found comfort in one another. I will never forget one of the nursing staff asking me how I was coping. As a carer you do not think about yourself. I was not sure how to answer but I will always remember how it made me feel: visible. The staff are special.”

Amanda expressed her thanks to those who have supported her fundraiser saying: “Thank you to everyone who has kindly donated. Every single penny raised from this appeal is going to benefit the hospice and other families.

“I want other families to benefit from these services like my mother and I did. None of us knows what lies ahead, and we may ourselves need palliative care in the future, so it is important to fundraise to ensure these services can continue in our community.”