South Downs Trek: Littlehampton woman and friends take on marathon challenge for Worthing hospice in memory of her incredible mum

Fiona Flett was diagnosed in 2020 with cholangiocarcinoma, an aggressive form of cancer that forms in the bile ducts, and she was told she had only eight months to live.

She was cared for at the hospice in Worthing at the end of her life and daughter Lanna Hanks is joining the charity’s annual trek in her memory as a thank you.

Lanna said: “My mum was looked after so well and nothing was ever too much for the staff at St Barnabas. Not only did they support Mum and look after her so well, they supported me and my family every day. Raising money for them is a small token of gratitude as thank you just doesn’t seem enough.

“This 26-mile trek will be extremely difficult for many reasons but having the memory of my beautiful mum will keep me going, I hope.

“My mum would be so incredibly proud of me and her girls for taking on the South Downs Trek to raise funds for St Barnabas House. The trek is the day after my mum’s birthday, the first one we aren’t spending together, and the day before my first Mother’s Day without her, so it’ll be an emotional time for me but one that’s so special.”

Lanna, 36, will be walking the 26.2-mile circular route on Saturday with a team called Feaf’s Fighters - Annabelle Doyle, Charlotte Elliott, Fiona Moore, Ashley Elliott, Amee Dewitt and Nikki Ayres.

Lanna said: “My mum was just incredible. Everyone who met her just fell in love with her, she just had a way of connecting with people and making them smile. There was no one quite like her.”

Fiona went into St Barnabas House’s in-patient unit in July 2021.

Lanna explained: “Mum was a midwife, so she was quite heavily involved with her medication at the beginning but as time went on, her health started to deteriorate and she was in a lot of pain. Mum didn’t want me to be her carer, she wanted me to be her daughter and because of St Barnabas House, that was possible up until the end.

“Mum was initially going to stay at the hospice for one week but she was deteriorating rapidly so they decided to keep her in for longer.”

The whole family found the hospice welcoming and friendly, especially Lanna’s children Cameron, four, and Rory, one, who made everyone smile.

Lanna said: “I remember the first time we visited the hospice, I was expecting it to be a scary place but it wasn’t at all.”

She said Cameron and Rory would be laughing and making special memories with their beloved Nanny. “St Barnabas let them just be children.”

Fiona was cared for in the hospice for four weeks and died there on Thursday, August 12, 2021.

Lanna said: “I couldn’t fault the hospice one bit, they were amazing. The moment Mum went to the hospice, I knew she was safe, and they really helped manage her pain.

“The patient gardens meant a lot to us. We spent a lot of time in them together and it was lovely that we had the freedom and independence to go outside whenever we wanted to.

“My mum had a really strong faith and in her last few days, we asked for the chaplain to spend some time with us all as a family. This was incredibly special to us at that time, and I know it meant the world to Mum.”

Lanna has so far raised more than £2,000. Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lannahanks to make a donation.

Also in the news: Music charity backed by Rag ’n’ Bone Man announces opening date for its new Worthing venue

See also: 14 Easter things to do in Littlehampton and beyond