WHEN Solihull martial arts expert and instructor Eddie Quinn lost his sister to cancer last year, he wanted to do something to say ‘thank you’ to those who looked after her during her final days.
Sharon Quinn was 59 when she finally succumbed to the illness that had previously blighted her three times during her life.
But Eddie – and other members of the family – were so overawed at the care and support she received at St Mary’s Hospice, Birmingham, he decided he wanted to do something to say thank-you.
So he organised a fund-raising martial arts seminar in his sister’s memory – raised £5,430.27 – and duly handed the hospice a cheque during the Christmas and New Year break.
“Obviously, losing Sharon was a devastating blow to all the family,” said Eddie, who travels all over the world coaching his acclaimed self-defence method ‘The Approach’ to Police officers and security companies.
“She fought a brave battle over many years, but this awful disease finally beat her.
“The care she received at St Mary’s during the final five weeks of her life was awesome.
“I wanted to do something to express my gratitude, but at the same time, make some kind of difference to those who themselves are terminally ill and in need of the wonderful support my sister had.
“So I reached out to my martial arts friends, and was overwhelmed at the response to my seminar, and to donations I received from all over the world from those who couldn’t make it, but wanted to contribute.
“It was so successful, I will now be organising an annual fundraiser for St Mary’s Hospice in memory of Sharon.”
Eddie handed over the cheque to Jennifer Chin, the head of fundraising at St Mary’s Hospice.
She said: “This is a lovely gesture by Mr Quinn, and we cannot thank him enough.
“I was delighted to tell him that the money he has raised funded over 30 community nurses to care for terminally ill patients in their own homes over the Christmas and New Year period.”
