Hospice gets new bed after night-time walk
New £100,000 will help care for 30 patients a year
by Louisa Felton
(October 2007)

Thanks to the 800 women who took part in a midnight fundraiser, the Hospice of St Francis will be able to care for an extra 30 patients a year.
In one night alone more than £108,000 was raised for the charity when a sea of women dressed in pink descended on to the streets of Dacorum for the 12 mile event, Walk with the Stars in June, 2007.

The money raised will be used to open a new bed which costs £100,000 to run and will include care and treatment for an extra 30 patients each year.
One of the five doctors at the hospice, Dr Nicole Jackman, said: "It's fantastic to be able to welcome more patients to the Hospice of St Francis so that we can give them specialist care.
"We are able to control the discomfort and pain of more local people when they need it most and it helps many families caring for loved ones to have some vital respite too."

It costs more than £3million in running costs alone to keep the hospice going.
The Government covers just 25 per cent of this and any new equipment or beds are additional costs meaning the fundraising team tirelessly campaigns throughout the year to raise funds and grants.

By 2009 staff hope to have opened four more beds and to do this are relying on the continuing generosity of the public to achieve this.
Following the success of 2007's Walk With the Stars, organisers hope to encourage 1,000 women to take part in 2008.
For more information about the hospice call 01442 869555