Fluorescent Fun for Keech Mum

A Bedfordshire mum is urging people to get their glow on for Keech Hospice Care, your adult hospice for Luton and South Beds and the children’s hospice for Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes.

Karen Russell, 34, from Kempston Rural is taking part in our new 10km night-time sponsored Glow Walk to give back to the charity that supports her daughter, Lois.

“I’m so excited about the idea of the Glow Hub Party followed by the Glow Walk,” said Karen. “I have signed up with a group of mums who I met at Keech and we can’t wait to get our glow on! I’ve never heard of anything like it but the best thing is we’ll be raising money for Keech, which is a brilliant charity!”

As a result of suffering severe brain damage at birth Lois, age 9, has been left with life-challenging and life- limiting disabilities. Her main condition is severe spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and epilepsy which limits her mobility and her ability to communicate. Although Lois is a happy girl and lives her life to the absolute fullest, she requires 24/7 care and support and is unable to perform daily tasks and activities independently. Lois is unable to swallow safely therefore must be fed via a tube directly into her stomach and she has daily medications which help to prevent complications from her condition, as well as emergency medication to help bring her out of prolonged seizures. Lois is unable to walk so relies on a wheelchair as well as hoisting for position changes while sitting down.

Despite all of this, Lois is supported by her family and the professionals around her to live her life as happily and independently as possible. Using therapies and medication, Lois’s family aims to keep her as comfortable as possible and help to keep her out of hospital. More recently, with the help of communication aids and technology, Lois is learning to communicate so that she can have a voice… her voice!

“We can spend quality time as a family at Keech Hospice Care,” said Karen. “They’ve supported my whole family in many ways but the emotional support we’ve received has been invaluable. My family would not be the same without Keech and its excellent care.

“The hospice relies on supporters for 70% of its funding and spends over £14,000 every day providing care and support for patients and their families. By taking part in the Glow Walk on Saturday 25 March, I can give back to Keech because it relies on the community for its survival,” she said.

Sign up now

Keech Hospice Care will host the UV Glow Hub at Great Bramingham Lane, Luton. The party will start at 7pm on Saturday 25 March with hundreds of people in fluorescent body paints and UV torches. Then the 10km Glow Walk, which begins at 8pm, starts and finishes at Bramingham Lane.

Participants must be at least 16 years of age and entry is £15. Registration includes a white t-shirt, two tubes of glow paint, glow stick, an all-weather poncho and of course, a finisher’s medal.

Sign-up now or call 01582 707940.