18/10/2026
Fiona and Kirsty both work at LOROS. Their experiences at the hospice have led them to embark on a series of fundraisers and they are currently raising £10,000 for a Machu Picchu trek.
Fiona is a young people and transition key worker and has been at LOROS for 5 years in August.
Fiona said: “LOROS is the third hospice I’ve worked at. Both were amazing, but LOROS is utterly special. Someone comes in looking distraught; I’ll say ‘are you okay?’ and they’ll say ‘I am now’. They’ve had a horrible experience and now they’ve come to LOROS, where the care is exceptional and they definitely feel that everything will be better now.
“Everyone goes above and beyond all the time, and cares for each other too – staff and volunteers. It’s an amazing place. A gentle, calm feeling, everybody smiling.
“There are so many kindnesses that I witness every day – an ultrasound of an unborn baby so a grandma can see their grandchild, or a pamper party because a parent won’t see their child’s 21st. These things are so special. There’s a massive amount of compassion and empathy. A real understanding.”
“People bring in funeral donations the day after the funeral. They don’t have to come in that quick, but they do because LOROS is a lifeline. In the worst possible time of your life there’s this place with people who can help you to carry on.”
“It’s probably 10% we want to go to Machu Picchu and about 90% we want to help LOROS. There’s nowhere else like it.”
“We’ve suffered redundancies, but that has not changed the care at all. Staff were terribly upset for colleagues, but I don’t believe any patients picked up on it. Everyone was utterly professional."
Kirsty is a Senior Therapy Assistant at LOROS and has previously worked as ward clerk and counselling intake facilitator.
She said: “I grew up in Leicester and was aware of LOROS but didn’t know what it was until my uncle came here 14 years ago. He was admitted on New Year’s Eve for a short spell, then four months later came in and died at the hospice. I remember the first time I walked in, it felt like I was being given a hug. It still feels like that now.
“Two years later my dad was admitted to the inpatient ward. I had a young family and it was so important for me to know that when I left dad after visiting that he would be good hands and well cared for by the staff. My dad died after a few short weeks at LOROS. I was so grateful that both he and I felt safe during that time.
"As the months passed, I knew I wanted to give back and when I saw a ward clerk role advertised, I applied and got it. I knew I just needed to be at LOROS. A big part of the role was contact with family members, being a listening ear, which led me to work within the counselling team for 6 years. I am now Senior Therapy Assistant in the Enablement team, working alongside our Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists, supporting patients admitted onto the inpatient ward and within Day Hospice. It’s a ‘hands on’ role.
"The hospice can feel scary when people initially arrive, there can be a level of anxiety of what being in a hospice means, but pretty soon we see that lift as we watch families become ‘a family’ again as the worries and strains of being ‘carers’ are removed.
"There are a million little stories of wonderful care that touch my heart. A friend was admitted to the ward with pancreatic cancer over the Christmas period. Unable to eat, the nurse asked his favourite drink. When she heard it was Jack Daniels, she had ice cubes made from it. His family never forgot that kindness and went on to raise thousands of pounds for the hospice. People will always remember care like that. The amount of people who tell me how comfortable and safe they feel here – it’s amazing.
“I didn’t know Fiona that well until we signed up for the Great Wall of China trek in 2024. Those endless training walks were therapy and it’s built an amazing friendship between us. I remember it was New Year’s Day, we were out on a walk and Fiona said ‘this year I’m going to say yes to everything’. The next day the Machu Picchu trek came up. It was meant to be!
“I feel I owe LOROS so much. For the amazing care my family experienced, for the friendships I’ve developed and for being part of such an incredible place.
“LOROS teaches you to make every moment matter. You only get one life and you need to make the most of it.”
