Hospice volunteer wins champion award

Volunteer Laura Isherwood has received the WRVS Diamond Champion Award for valuable contribution to the East Lancashire Hospice.

Laura, from Cherry Tree, Blackburn, knows just what a difference the hospice makes after she developed breast cancer at the age of 55 and attended Day Therapy. The great-grandmother, now 66, said: “The support I got was tremendous, from a volunteer making you a cup of tea to the doctor treating you like a special person.”

In remission, Laura said she wanted the hospice to remain part of her life.

“They asked me would I like to move on, in a very nice way, because I wanted to continue coming forever. But I had to give somebody else the opportunity, so I asked if I could be a volunteer.”

Since then, Laura has given talks to patients, helped in the fundraising department, become a reception volunteer and helped in the lottery department.