LOROS Hospice

Animals can sometimes reach people when no one else can.

Their presence can bring comfort and spark recognition. Stephen had not been responding to anyone all day. Then a mini-Shetland pony came onto the ward.

He opened his eyes, reached out and engaged.

It was a small but an incredibly powerful moment. This is a beautiful reminder of the impact animals can have on our patients - and how much we need hospices like LOROS.

Yesterday Lauren from our Family Support team helped create a very special day for Rachel and her daughter, Lizzy, here at LOROS. 💛

As Rachel was too poorly to leave the Hospice for a pamper day they had planned, Lauren and the team brought the special day to them instead.

They arranged an afternoon tea in our summer house, a massage from our Complementary Therapist, Angela, and Little Diva Spa came to the Hospice so Rachel and her daughter could have their nails painted together. And there was one more surprise waiting for them! A visit from Peaches, a miniature shetland pony, from My Little Pony Parties.

This was a chance for Rachel and her daughter to spend precious time together and make special memories during an incredibly difficult time.

Rachel said: "I am absolutely blown away. I had no idea that any of this had been arranged.

A couple of weeks ago I had a pamper day planned but unfortunately, I became too poorly to go. I've slowly been declining and yesterday I became quite unwell. Everyone has been so great and amazing planning this for me and my daughter.

It's such a beautiful thing to do for anyone. Even more so when you know the situation you are in is drawing closer. To actually have some time with my daughter on her own in such a difficult situation is special. We've had such fantastic support. You come in here and you don't know anyone but within hours it's like you know everyone.

It's so lovely to get to know people. Everyone at LOROS is so important and I appreciate everyone. I imagine that every other patient and family feels the same way. I feel blessed to be here.

Having worked in the NHS, I actually feel sad that I'm not going to be around long enough to be able to work at a place like LOROS.

A few nights ago I was really poorly and terrified of going to sleep. Not once did I feel a burden. Each and every one of the nurses were here for me. You cannot fault the care. LOROS really touches my heart."

Thank you to everyone who helped make this beautiful afternoon possible, and especially to Lauren for helping create moments that Rachel and her daughter could share together. 💛

As Juliette gets ready to take on her first LOROS Bike Ride in memory with her friend Frankie, she's encouraging others to get involved too. 🚴

"To anyone thinking about taking part I’d say just go for it, it’s the most amazing feeling. When you start to struggle you just think what a difference your fundraising will make to people receiving care and support. Get your training in and just look forward to it.

I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to do this ride in memory of Linda and to raise funds for LOROS. I know it will be a challenge, however I am determined to succeed!"

Entry is FREE – all we ask is that you pledge to raise £100 per person for LOROS Hospice. This is a completely not-for-profit event, where every penny raised goes towards caring for our patients and supporting their families.

Gather your friends, set yourself a goal and make every pedal count. Sign up today at loros.co.uk/bikeride

There is only one chance to get end of life care right. Right now, not all 31 beds on our inpatient ward are open, meaning there are still people across Leicestershire waiting for the specialist care they need. Jimi’s story shows why that matters so much.

Jimi Dally, age 56 from Leicester, decided to cycle around the UK and the east coast of Ireland earlier this year in memory of his parents who both died within a year of each other, between 2023 and 2024. Jimi wanted to raise awareness of the importance of hospice care after his parents were unable to access it themselves. Here is his .

"My challenge was to cycle 3,000 miles earlier this year, starting at LOROS in Leicester and heading anticlockwise mainly around the UK coastline.
The whole ride was about remembering my parents, but it was also about giving something back.

My mum, Sarah Dally, died at home from breast cancer and received tremendous palliative care there. My dad, Chris Dally, wanted to go into a hospice because he didn't want to be a burden to us, but sadly, despite trying, we couldn't get him into LOROS due to the shortage of beds.

Last year I had seen in the press the funding situation facing LOROS and hospices in general, and I thought I could raise some much-needed funds for LOROS while also spreading a message wherever I went about the chronic underfunding of hospices across the country.

One of my favourite LOROS memories came after the Stomp Round Leicester art trail last summer.

I purchased Rose in memory of my mum and dad. When Rose was at the rally park during the trail, I used to cycle past her every day on my way to the gym and say hello. My wife, Suman, and I then decided to try and bid for her at the auction.
We really enjoyed the evening and, when we saw what the first elephant went for, we didn't think we would have a chance. We had set a figure we were happy to go to and, when it went above that figure, Suman tried to get the paddle off me. Fortunately she didn't, and we managed to get Rose.

I cried when the auctioneer said it was us that had won Rose, as it felt like I had got part of my parents back. Their favourite flower was a rose, and she now sits nestled at the bottom of our garden amongst the trees and brings a smile to my face every time I see her. She was also centre stage at my homecoming after the ride and is now a lovely part of our DillyDally family.

The route took me along some beautiful coastline up the east coast of England before spending 18 days navigating the amazing scenery of Scotland. From Cairnryan on the west coast of Scotland, I caught a ferry to Belfast in Northern Ireland, before continuing through Ireland and finishing in Rosslare. I then caught another ferry to Fishguard in Wales and continued my adventure around the amazing coastline of the UK, finally finishing back home in Leicester.

I encountered some horrendous weather conditions at the top of Scotland with the highest wind speed at nearly 40mph, and I spent seven full days in waterproofs.

It gets a tad soul-destroying when you're pedalling in extreme weather and not getting any further forward. In those situations, you have to rely on your mental strength to realise that you can get through the tough days and that better conditions and better days lay ahead.

We live on an amazingly beautiful island and I saw oodles of beautiful things along the way, but what kept me going were people. I was fortunate to have support drivers all the way round, who put up with all the different Jimis that arrived at the end of the day, depending on what the day had thrown at me. However, I also met so many strangers who didn't need to but helped me along the way with their kind words, their donations and, in some instances, helping with my bike maintenance. We truly do live on an island of beautiful, caring people.

Emotionally, my ride was all about my parents. I carried them in my heart, but I also carried them physically with me. I had lots of long chats with them each day while I was cycling, and it was the quietest my dad has ever been! I even forgave him for dying on my birthday.

Before he passed, we asked where he wanted his ashes scattering and my dad just said, "Mix me in with your mum and put us in the bin."

Instead, I took eight small tubes of their ashes with me and dropped them off in different locations around the UK and Ireland. On a couple of occasions, I misjudged the wind direction and, yep, you guessed it, I did inhale some of the parents.

The most emotional drop-off was the final one. I had cycled with one tube of ashes in the top pocket of my cycling shirt for the duration of the ride. On my very last ride back home to Leicester, I cycled through Watermead Park, said my final farewell to my parents and left them in a lovely, tranquil spot in the water.
I found those 50-odd days cycling with my parents very cathartic and a beautiful way to say au revoir.

So far, I have raised more than £8,000, but I would love to get that to £10,000. To try and achieve this, I'm taking part in the LOROS 100-mile cycle around Leicestershire on 5th September, followed by the LOROS Half Marathon on 11th October. Hopefully I can reach that £10,000 milestone by the finish of those events.

By the numbers:
• 3,003 miles cycled
• 302 hours in the saddle
• 48 days cycling
• 4 rest days
• 2 punctures
• 9 ferries
• 49 different beds
• 3 ice creams
• 9 support drivers
• 7 full days in waterproofs
• Highest wind speed: 38mph

Every mile was for Mum and Dad, and every donation helps ensure that more families can receive the care and support they deserve through LOROS."

Jimi’s story is a powerful reminder of why we want to be there for every family who needs us. Reopening every LOROS inpatient bed would mean we could care for a further 156 patients each year. Will you help us open that door? A gift of £40 today could help fund a day of specialist care on our ward, and whatever you can give will bring us closer to opening all 31 beds so more people can receive the care they deserve, when they need it most.

Please, if you can, donate today 👉loros.co.uk/annualask

Happy 💛

The temperatures are rising again but at LOROS, our care never stops. ☀️

Whatever the weather, our teams are here around the clock, making sure our patients and their families receive the compassionate care, comfort and support they need.

During these warmer days, that might mean enjoying some fresh air in our beautiful gardens, relaxing in a shady spot, or simply keeping cool and comfortable indoors.

Whatever the conditions outside, our focus remains the same: being there for our patients and their loved ones when they need us most.

Thank you to everyone who supports LOROS and helps make this care possible. 💛

Do you recognise Dotty? 🐘💛

A year ago, Dotty was out on the Stomp Round Leicester trail alongside other baby elephants, designed by our CHANCE Club.

Patients, families, staff and volunteers all left their mark on Dotty, covering her with colourful fingerprints alongside a beautiful tree, wildlife, bugs and butterflies.

Today, Dotty stands proudly at the entrance to our hospice, where she continues to welcome patients, families, visitors, volunteers and staff.

What began as one little elephant on a city-wide art trail has become something very special here at LOROS. 🐘

This October, Elle is taking on her first half marathon at the Run Leicester Festival in memory of her mum, Gillian, who was cared for at LOROS in 2019. 🎽💛

"Mum was cared for at LOROS for a week. We were transferred from hospital and LOROS was like a whole different world in terms of the care that Mum and our family received. She was treated with such dignity and care.

The staff are angels; they made us feel so at home and cared for throughout it all. They made it so that we could be together as a family during a really difficult time.

Our time at LOROS was so short and intense but I have an overwhelming memory of feeling safe and at peace and being listened to. It sounds small but it was everything we needed.

Being able to do this in my hometown and raise money for LOROS felt like a no brainer! Running gives me the space and time to reflect and think on things, and I often find myself thinking about Mum.

Crossing the finish line will be a combination of personal achievement in completing the challenge of a half marathon and the satisfaction of knowing doing this will raise money for LOROS so that they can continue to provide support and care to numerous other families when it is needed.

I want other families to be able to receive the care we did at LOROS for a long time to come, so knowing I can help in any way I can is great."

Inspired by Elle's story? Join team LOROS at the Run Leicester Festival on 11th October and help make a difference for local families. Sign up today at loros.co.uk/runleicester

Have you made your Will yet? 💛

This October, over selected dates, you can have your Will written free of charge at our free Will writing clinics. It's an opportunity to make sure your loved ones are looked after and your wishes are clear.

Once you've taken care of those closest to you, we hope you'll consider leaving a gift in your Will to LOROS. Every gift, no matter the size, helps ensure we can continue providing compassionate hospice care for future generations.

Find out more and book your slot today at loros.co.uk/willwriting