Woman who has raised £13,000 for a local hospice in memory of husband set to take on her next challenge

Since 2016, Chloe Dayneswood, 37-years-old from Littlehampton, has raised over £13,000 for St Barnabas House in memory of her husband, Ben.

Now she’s ready for the next challenge and has signed up to take part in the South Downs Trek, a 26.2-mile trek on the South Downs in March in a bid to push her fundraising to the next level.

Chloe’s story

Ben and I were together for eight years and married for three. We didn’t have as long as we had hoped to have together, but it was eight lovely and magical years. In July 2016, aged 39, Ben was diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer. He died only three weeks later.

We spent most of those three weeks in St Barnabas House hospice, and I don’t know how we would have got through that horrendous time without them. The Care Team at St Barnabas House are amazing, I’d even describe them as angels. We were at the hospice for the worst possible reason, but we still smiled and chuckled every single day because of them. They made every day easier and enabled us to have three special weeks together.

When Ben went into the hospice, I stayed in the family room at night, I had a sofa bed in the room,  but it wasn’t close enough, so I slept on the chair at his bedside. It didn’t matter if I was comfortable or not, I just wanted to be close to him. The team noticed so they pulled in a hospital bed right next to Ben’s, so I could sleep right by his side.

It’s the little things like this that make me so grateful for St Barnabas House. They gave us the best gift; they gave us time together. They treated us like people, as a family, not just a patient. When we were at the hospice, it was a really hot summer and Ben was struggling with the heat and craving ice pops, so every day the nurses would come in with his ice pop. Nothing was ever too much hassle, they are amazing.

In August 2016, three weeks after his diagnosis and a few weeks before his 40th birthday, Ben sadly passed away.

After Ben passed away, I used the hospice’s amazing bereavement service, it was so valuable to me. I have also attended some bereavement services and  found it useful to be in a room with people going through a similar situation, to have the opportunity to chat, share stories, and listen to how others are tackling and coping with their grief. That's the incredible thing about St Barnabas, the care doesn't stop after your loved one passes away.

Ben had such a positive outlook on life, and he was adamant that he wanted to give back to St Barnabas House. In his final few days, he set me a challenge, a mission, to fundraise for them to help keep their services going. I hate the thought of St Barnabas not being there for people like us in the future, so I do all I can to raise vital funds.

Shortly after Ben passed away, I signed up for a 67km trek in India through the foothills of the Himalayas. It was five days of walking and camping at night – for those that know me, this was a real challenge! We, as a family, have done all sorts since then, including a raffle that raised over £13,000, in addition to the £13,000 on my JustGiving page.

The next challenge for me is the South Downs Trek which I am looking forward to. This time I’m not doing it alone and have my lovely cousin Natasha as my walking buddy. Everything we do is in Ben’s memory, and I hope we continue to make him proud.

Ben, my Gorgeous Boy, I miss you and love you beyond words. I will do all I can to give back for the precious time and care St Barnabas gave us together.

To sponsor Chloe, please visit www.justgiving.com/ourbenmillard. Or to join Chloe and take part in the South Downs Trek, please visit www.stbh.org.uk/south-downs-trek/