Shifnal Chloe continues to fundraise

"I will never forget having a laugh with my dad. He always acted silly around me," said 10-year-old Chloe Powell.

Chloe's father, Adrian, a factory worker from Shifnal, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 and went through several rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, under the care of Severn Hospice.

After battling the disease for more than a year, he died on Valentine's Day 2018, aged 51.

"We would go on long walks together until he couldn't walk very far – then we would lie in bed and watch films together and listen to music," she added.

"He used to pretend to be annoyed when I beat him at racing games on the PlayStation but I know he used to let me win."

Despite his illness seeing him lose a substantial amount of weight, doctors and nurses from the charity helped Adrian spend his last Christmas at home with family before he was told he had only weeks left to live in the New Year, returning to hospice care in Telford as an inpatient.

"Dad liked the people in the hospice and was made to feel at home," said Chloe.

"He liked looking out of the window of his room at the birds in the garden. It's more relaxed than a hospital and the people that work there make the patients feel special.

"They look after people that are ill to make them better to be able to go home, and when they get too ill, make them as comfortable as possible."

Chloe, a keen cheerleader and pupil at Shifnal Primary School, wants to continue raising money for the hospice after holding a successful cake sale, with more plans to fundraise throughout the year.

She has decided to become an event ambassador for the hospice's Forget Me Not walk this summer, a new event aimed at giving participants a chance to remember loved ones while supporting the charity.

She added: "I didn't know what hospices would be like before dad got ill. I liked the people that worked there, especially the nurses that looked after him and the craft lady who helped me make a collage the day before he died.

"They took time to talk to me and asked me things that dad had told them about school and cheerleading.

"I really enjoyed the cake sale and knew dad would be proud of me. I'm planning on holding a tombola at a local event to raise more money this year.

"I want to support the hospice because they have to survive off donations and fundraising – they do a really great job and need the money to help them."

The Forget Me Not walk is taking place in the Quarry, Shrewsbury, on May 19 at 11am. Entry costs £15 for adults, £5 for children under 15 and free for under fives. Family tickets are available for £35.

For more information, visit severnhospice.org.uk