A GRANDMOTHER OF THREE celebrated a milestone birthday by supporting a charity close to her heart.
Wendy Horton helped raise £871 at her 60th birthday bash for Hospice of the Valleys which supported her family through a very difficult time.
In 2011 Wendy’s mum Doreen was diagnosed with an aggressive form of malignant brain tumour.
Given Doreen had just a short time to live she was brought from her then home in Scotland to live in Tredegar with Wendy so family and friends could say their last goodbyes.
Doreen was very poorly but was given her dying wish of coming back home to Wales and transported by ambulance, with Wendy and paramedic by her side, on a ten-hour journey thanks to Scottish National Health Service.
It was then Hospice of the Valleys took over helping with care packages, including end of life medication, to make Doreen’s last days comfortable.
Wendy, an NHS counsellor with ABUHB, said: “Holding my mother’s hand and being told she was dying was one of the worst moments of my life.
“I was emotionally confused and drained and didn’t know what to do or where to turn.
“The hospice just came in offering support, advice and took some of the burden of managing palliative care.
“It was an awful time but knowing there were such experienced people on my door step was a huge support to me and my amazing family.”
Doreen, 74, died four weeks to the day of her last journey.
To honour her life the 60th birthday party was turned into a fundraising event at Bedwellty House and Park in Tredegar where Wendy married Phil in 2019.
Around 60 family, friends, neighbours and work colleagues turned out to mark the occasion. Raffle tickets were sold, to boost funds, by Jean Edmunds and Billy Keogh.
Some friends had travelled from Birmingham and all over South Wales for the occasion including former work colleagues of when Wendy worked as a journalist for 18 years at Media Wales.
