St Elizabeth Hospice has revealed ‘Skye’ is the name of the first hare sculpture for its upcoming art trail – Hop to it! Suffolk 2025 – which has been chosen by the Dorman family.
Amelie Dorman, aged 9-years-old, and Noah Dorman, aged four-years-old, submitted a selection of name suggestions – including Gully, Halo, Skye and Sunset – to the hospice, with a poll among hospice staff and volunteers seeing Skye securing the most votes for the hare, designed by artist Loïs Cordelia who has supported previous hospice art trails.
Amelie and Noah’s daddy, James Dorman, received support from the St Elizabeth Hospice before his death aged 37-years-old, in 2022, from cancer.
Following James’ death, Claire Dorman (James’ wife and Amelie and Noah’s mum) has been a keen supporter of St Elizabeth Hospice, fundraising at its annual Midnight Walk and giving speeches about hospice care at the hospice’s Suffolk Remembers eventand at the full launch of Hop to it! Suffolk, in April this year.
Claire Dorman, who lives near Woodbridge, said: “We were so touched to be asked to name the first hare for the 2025 trail. The children chose the name Skye due to the sky-like painting on the sculpture.
“I’m so proud of Amelie and Noah, they understand how well the hospice took care of their Daddy and how well they continue to look out for us as a family. They are passionate in their support of the hospice in the same way that I am.
“We feel so lucky to have been a part of the 2025 trail from the beginning.
“I was more than happy to speak at the launch event, at Christchurch Mansion, as we have such special memories of completing the previous trails in Ipswich with Daddy & our closest friends. Amelie and Noah’s favourite was Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk in 2019, where we finished at the town hall and splashed in the fountains!”
Hop to it! Suffolk follows the success of previous hospice art trails – Pigs Gone Wild, Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk and the Big Hoot Ipswich 2022.
Created in partnership with Wild in Art, the art project will see 38 ornately decorated hare sculptures, featuring a range of designs. The trail, will once again, be hosted in Ipswich as well as, for the first time, in neighbouring satellite locations – Beccles, Felixstowe, Lowestoft and Woodbridge – which will each have two large and two small sculptures in their towns.
Celia Joseph, Community & Partnerships Fundraising Manager at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “Thank you to Amelie and Noah to providing us with a fantastic selection of names for our hospice team to choose from.
“Skye is the perfect name for our first hare! We cannot wait for the trail to fully start in 2025.
“As ever, we would love to hear from any businesses, local organisations, schools and individuals, who are interested in supporting the trail as a volunteer, through sponsorship or joining our learning and community programme, Hopscotch. Please, visit our website to find out how you can get involved.”
Find out more details about Hop to It! Suffolk 2025 and how you can support the trail by visiting www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/hoptoitsuffolk/.
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Claire and James Dorman – St Elizabeth Hospice Case Study
A wife’s story
The second we arrived at the hospice we were treated with kindness and dignity.
“The care we received from the nurses, doctors, support staff and countless volunteers at St Elizabeth Hospice was second to none and I will remember it for the rest of my life,” explained Claire Dorman, whose husband, James, received support from St Elizabeth Hospice until his death, aged 37-years-old, on 18 November 2022.
Every year St Elizabeth Hospice delivers free care to over 3,000 patients and their families throughout East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney.
Centered on an individual’s needs, the hospice provides specialist support, whenever and wherever it is needed, whether at home, in the community or at the hospice.
“James was gorgeous, funny and just a wonderful husband and father,” said Claire, who lives near Woodbridge.
“He was first diagnosed with bowel cancer in March 2020 and he dealt with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a huge operation in 2020 like the total hero he was and at the beginning of 2021 we were told he was cancer free.
“Following this, we bought our house in April 2021 and all moved in feeling unbelievably lucky to have overcome what we’d been through. Sadly, at the beginning of 2022 we were told the cancer was back and it had also spread to his lymph nodes, lungs and liver.
“At this point we were told James’ care was palliative and they could no longer look to cure him, just extend his life as much as possible. To say we were devastated wouldn’t even begin to explain it.
“James was another level of person. We had met in 2010 in our early twenties and had been pretty much inseparable since our first date. He was the kindest person I had ever met, never had a bad word to say about anyone and he was the most incredible husband and Daddy. Our two children adored him, we all did. We were so, so lucky to have him.
“Over the course of 2022, James faced many setbacks and side effects and in October, we were told the treatment simply wasn’t working and James had weeks, rather than months to live.
“Up until that point, the word ‘hospice’ had been mentioned but we both winced at the word and couldn’t face speaking about it any further. I want people who may find themselves in the same, difficult situation that we did, to know not to be scared of the word ‘hospice’.
“The St Elizabeth Hospice nurses came to visit us at home, referred us to wonderful physiotherapists to try and make James more comfortable at home and went out of their way to help us prepare for what was to come.
“In November 2022, James was incredibly unwell at home and ended up being taken to Ipswich Hospital in an ambulance. He spent one night at the hospital and the next morning I phoned the hospice on their 24/7 OneCall phone number.
“The hospice arranged for James to be moved to the hospice straight away. We were moved into a family room, with a sofa, TV and beautiful windows looking out onto the garden and pond. The second we arrived at the hospice we were treated with kindness and dignity.
“Our children were able to come and visit their Daddy for their last cuddles and kisses and the staff even took them to feed the fishes in the pond.
“I was able to stay with James every second of the six days he was being cared for on the hospice’s inpatient unit and I was incredibly well looked after and supported by the staff during that time; they are all very special people indeed.
“The St Elizabeth Hospice team have also supported myself and our oldest child through their counselling service, LivingGrief, which has made such a difference to our lives. The hospice’s services have supported myself and my whole family, providing comfort and reassurance during life’s most uncertain moments.
“In 2023, I will also be taking on the hospice’s Midnight Walk, alongside my army of family and friends, as we say thank you to the hospice and celebrate James’ life.
“We want to raise as much as we can for this brilliant charity so it can continue supporting more families like ours. Thanks to the hospice team we were able to enjoy precious moments together as a family and I can never thank them enough for this.”
St Elizabeth Hospice improves life for people in East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney living with a progressive or life-limiting illness. The hospice’s work is centred on an individual’s needs whenever and wherever it is needed, whether at home, in the community or at the hospice.
To find out more information about St Elizabeth Hospice call 01473 723600 or visit www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk.
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About St Elizabeth Hospice
St Elizabeth Hospice improves life for people in East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney living with a progressive or life-limiting illness. Our work is centred on an individual’s needs, which means specialist support, whenever and wherever it is needed, whether at home, in the community or at the hospice. Through medicine and therapy we ease pain; we give life purpose and make life liveable.
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