A mother who has dedicated her life to fundraising after the death of her daughter at St Elizabeth Hospice in 2016, has been nominated for a Pride of Britain Award.
Wendy Goddard from Stowmarket lost her daughter, Zoe aged just 27 in 2016 after being diagnosed with cervical cancer. Zoe spent the last five weeks of her life under the care of St Elizabeth Hospice.
Zoe was a determined young person and although her health deteriorated quickly after being diagnosed in December 2015, Zoe was dedicated to fundraising and raised over £4,000 for charities in the last months of her life.
Since losing Zoe, Wendy has devoted her time to organising fundraising events and activities for the hospice as well as leading the hospice’s Midnight Walk in 2017.
Zoe was born in the same year the hospice first opened in 1989, and Wendy has played an important part in helping the hospice to mark its 30th anniversary. She set herself a target of raising £30,000 in what would have been Zoe’s 30th birthday year.
Wendy has also been instrumental in securing funds for the hospice by giving talks to local schools and businesses, for example, helping the hospice to receive charity of the year sponsorship from Willis Towers Watson in Ipswich. She has recently secured support from Stonham Barns to help her with her ambition to commemorate Zoe’s birthday.
Altogether, Wendy has helped raise over £75,000 for St Elizabeth Hospice.
Jennifer Townsend, community fundraiser at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Wendy and her family and friends, and we’re so proud that she has been nominated for a Pride of Britain Award.
“It’s truly admirable to see that through such a sad and difficult time, Wendy has remained focused with her fundraising and been able to continue Zoe’s fundraising wishes. Wendy has been an inspirational ambassador for the hospice and we’re so thankful for the support she has given the charity.”
Wendy Goddard said: “I was really surprised when I found out I had been nominated.
“Before Zoe passed away she made me promise that I would continue with her plans. Zoe had already achieved great things, in the space of 6 months she raised £4000 through organizing bingo nights, quiz nights and coffee mornings.
“Zoe would have been 30 this year, so I wanted to do as much as possible to mark this occasion and carry on the fundraising that Zoe started. I want to keep fundraising for this amazing charity which did so much for Zoe and our family before she passed away. I will be eternally grateful to St Elizabeth Hospice and everything they did for us.
“We will continue to fundraise for the hospice for as we can for as long as we can.”
Wendy’s nomination video will be broadcast on ITV Anglia on Thursday 3 October from 6pm.