Sunshine walk in memory of Poppy Ogle

The Walking on Sunshine event will take place on Saturday, April 6, and will see participants embark on a 22-mile tour of Belfast, stopping off at the hospice in Glengormley, before finishing at the steps of Stormont.

It comes following the announcement that the charity’s funding has been slashed, inevitably resulting on a long-term impact on the services it currently delivers.

In a major fundraising bid, the Ogle family are are hoping to bring people and communities together, to show just how important the charity is.

Their connection to the hospice is a very personal one.

On January 20, 2021, four days after Poppy Ogle’s 9th birthday, her family received the devastating news that their beautiful daughter had been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of Sarcoma Cancer.

After multiple surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Poppy’s scans came back clear.

However, on February 11, 2022, the Ogle family were dealt a bigger blow, being told the cancer was back, and there was no more treatment available.

Mum Sharon and dad Mark said: “On the 26th May 2022, our hearts were shattered as we lost our beautiful warrior princess Poppy.

​“​In our darkest hour, the NI Children’s Hospice along with the CCN nursing team and the RBHSC medical staff, fulfilled our wish, that Poppy could have hospice at home for end-of-life care in her own bed, in her own house.”

The family have praised staff and volunteers at the Children's Hospice for the work they do in supporting children and families who are going through their "darkest hours".

Dad Mark said: “They guided us through family bereavement sessions and came to our home weekly to help our other children; Maddison and Isaac navigate life without their beloved sister.

"All of these staff are so special being able to do the job they do, so gentle and compassionate in a situation no one should ever have to experience.”

The family have already raised over £6,500 for the charity and are on track to exceed their £10,000 target.