Chesterfield man walks for hospice that cared for late husband

Martin Gibson, right, said he and Frank Bradley had been treated compassionately and inclusively by the hospice

A man is raising money for the hospice that cared for his late husband when he was dying of cancer.

Martin Gibson will take part in Ashgate Hospice's 10km (6.2 mile) Sparkle Night Walk around Chesterfield in memory of Frank Bradley, 58.

He said staff "moved heaven and earth" to look after his husband, an East Midlands Ambulance Service paramedic, during his final months in 2022.

The charity has thanked him for his support.

Mr Bradley was referred to the hospice, in Old Brampton, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire, for palliative care after undergoing intense chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatment.

Mr Gibson, 61, from Chesterfield, said: "When we got married in 2018, we had no idea that Frank was ill.

"I remember being bluntly told that nothing could be done. That that was a big shock for us.

"The hospice was just amazing from the get-go. They were so supportive and made us more reassured than we could have imagined."

Martin raised £3,000 when he did the walk in Frank's memory in 2022.

He added: "The doctors, the nurses, the social workers - everyone - they just move heaven and earth and the focus is on that person, their comfort and their wellbeing.

"Every little bit of it was just so good - every single step of the way. They're just truly special people.

"The hospice was so compassionate and so inclusive. It was just lovely."

Mr Gibson raised more than £3,000 doing the 2022 Sparkle Night Walk and said he was looking forward to joining friends and family again on 1 July.

"The Sparkle Night Walk is such a fun night and has an amazing atmosphere," he said.

"It was very emotional at first for me (last year) but as we got going it started to become great fun.

"We even had photographs of Frank pinned on our backs and someone came up to us and asked if he had been a paramedic because they'd been helped by him in the past.

"That was so special and I just felt incredibly proud that the whole team was walking in his memory."

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