A hospice patient and his wife have helped the Pigs Gone Wild trail leave a lasting legacy in Suffolk by donating hundreds of pounds to our charity appeal.
Bramford couple Richard and Debbie Mayhew donated £500 to the Ipswich Star’s Hog for our Hospice campaign on Friday.
The appeal, which topped £3,000 last night, aims to raise £5,000 to give Pigs Gone Wild sculpture Doctor Trott and Nurse Honey-Cured a new home at St Elizabeth Hospice.
Farmer Mr Mayhew, 65, has been receiving care at the hospice’s inpatient unit for four weeks after being transferred there from hospital when his health declined.
He was diagnosed with bowel cancer four years ago, which has since spread to his lung and brain.
And despite intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Mr Mayhew and his wife were told things were not looking good.
“When I first came to the hospice we thought this was it, we didn’t think I’d be going home,” he said.
“Doctors have said it’s a miracle that I’m still here.”
But now Mr Mayhew could be ready to go home at the end of this week – just in time for the couple’s wedding anniversary.
Mr Mayhew added: “My leg muscles have deteriorated and I can’t walk at the moment but the physios here are amazing and I am gradually rebuilding strength.
“When we get home, I will retire and we will move out of our 500-year-old house and into a warm, snuggly bungalow to start the rest of our lives together.”
The couple made the generous donation at the end of last week after spotting the appeal in the Ipswich Star.
Mrs Mayhew said: “We knew we wanted to give something back but after we saw the appeal to buy the pig for the hospice we thought it was a good idea to donate £500 now.
“We know how much it costs for Richard to stay in the inpatient unit, so we wanted to make a donation.”
She also said the couple’s grandson Jaxon Lavington, five, “loved seeing the pigs this summer” and helped give the sculptures a special send off at the Ta Ta Trotters event last weekend.
Pigs Gone Wild project manager Norman Lloyd said: “We want to thank the Mayhews so much for their generous donation.
“It helped us through the £2,000 mark and donations are still flooding in from patients, family members, and supporters, from those who have been touched by the hospice, to those who have loved the pig trail.”
Donate to the campaign here.
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