A GRIEVING husband is preparing to walk 300 miles across Wales in memory of his wife and to raise funds for the hospice he says “transformed her last five months”.

Richard lost his wife Carol to bowel cancer on New Year’s Eve, after 49 years together. She had been diagnosed in May 2024, and, by August, the disease was confirmed as terminal.

“The people who transformed her last five months were Salisbury Hospice and their outreach team of palliative pain specialists,” he said.

Richard describes how the hospice team enabled Carol to live fully, even as her illness progressed.

“Initially, they revised Carol’s pain relief so she could enjoy meaningful moments again – and we were able to work through a simple list of things we and our family wanted to do together,” he explains

As her condition worsened, nurses and specialists made regular home visits, adjusting medication and supporting the family.

The hospice physiotherapy team helped Carol retain some mobility, while staff continued to oversee her care during hospital admissions.

When she was admitted to Salisbury Hospice in November, Richard said the atmosphere was unforgettable.

“The whole environment and approach had an aura of calm and reassurance,” he said. “Nothing was too much trouble, and everything always seemed to happen immediately – like a safety net to Carol – which enabled her to relax.”

Carol returned to the hospice for her final five days in late December.

Richard said: “We were able stay with her around the clock (including sleeping beside her), and the palliative care team continued to work their magic, interpreting her symptoms for us and keeping her comfortable as Carol slipped in and out of consciousness. They were and are truly remarkable.”

Now, Richard is turning grief into action. Inspired by his and Carol’s love of Wales, he will lead a group on a 300 mile walk along the Cambrian Way from Cardiff Castle to Conwy split in three stages between June and September.

He said: ” My wife and I had loved Wales (where she came from and where we met), and I recollected an unfulfilled teenage ambition to walk the length of that country.”

He hopes other bereaved people connected to Salisbury Hospice will join him, even for a few days, finding healing in the landscape while raising funds to help other families receive the same care, dignity and comfort Carol experienced.

Richard has set a fundraising target of £1,000

Anyone interested in joining the walk should contact fundraising@salisburyhospicecharity.org

To sponsor Richard’s Cambrian Walk, click here.