Treetops Lottery player John Bull had only ever won a game of bingo on holiday before scooping the £2,000 jackpot prize in the Treetops Lottery Super Draw last week.
John, 74, from Borrowash, first joined the Treetops Lottery last October and had bought extra tickets for the annual Super Draw held every Spring. He was ‘overwhelmed’ to hear he’d won the top cash prize:
“I’ve never won anything substantial like this in my life so I’m very grateful. If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.”
John generously donated some of his winnings back to the end-of-life charity and plans to share the rest with his children and grandchildren.
This year’s Super Draw raised over £12,000 for Treetops Hospice based in Risley. Proceeds raised helps the hospice to provide vital care for local people with a life-limiting condition and those who’ve been bereaved.
The hospice was a lifeline for Catherine Mears and her family when her mum, Dorothy Johnson, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer which affects the body’s immune system.
Catherine explained how the Treetops Hospice at Home nurses were invaluable in supporting her mum’s wish to die at home:
“Everything happened quite quickly. Mum was in hospital for a spell, but she definitely preferred to be at home. She was living downstairs, and my Dad was sleeping on a camp bed in the dining room to take care of her. Dad was in his late seventies at that time, so we knew he needed help.”
“Having the Treetops nurses there overnight meant Dad could get a decent night’s sleep and wasn’t worrying. He could then cope a bit better and face the next day.
“I think if the Treetops nurses hadn’t helped, Dad would have struggled, and it would have got to a crisis point. The nurses were invaluable to us, especially my dad.”
Becki Lee-Jones, Lottery Manager, thanked all those who took part in the Super Draw:
“Our huge thanks go to everyone who bought tickets for the Super Draw and supported the hospice. Thanks to them we can continue to care for even more patients like Dorothy, and her family, when they need it the most.
“All proceeds from every Treetops Lottery ticket sold helps fund our vital services and makes a real difference to local people.”
For further information about the Treetops Lottery visit www.treetops.org.uk/lottery or call 0115 939 9339.
This year, Treetops Hospice is celebrating 40 years of caring for people and their families in the local community. During this time, the hospice has supported thousands of patients with end-of-life nursing care and bereavement counselling.
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About Treetops Hospice
Treetops Hospice, the leading end-of-life care charity in Derby, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, provides nursing care and emotional support for adults with life-limiting conditions, and their families.
The charity provides support from diagnosis onwards for patients with conditions such as cancer, motor neurone disease and heart and respiratory conditions.
This year, we are very proud to be celebrating 40 years of caring for people and their families in our local community. During this time, we have supported thousands of patients with end-of-life nursing care and bereavement counselling.
We have achieved this amazing milestone thanks to our dedicated volunteers who help across the whole hospice and in our charity shops, our hard-working staff team, and our supporters, past and present.
Last year, our team of Hospice at Home nurses provided over 20,000 hours of care to terminally-ill patients, working day and night to give much-needed support.
Our team of bereavement counsellors provided over 4,500 counselling sessions – more than 900 of them to children and young people. Wellbeing team members provide valuable information and support to those who need it.
Treetops is doing all it can to continue to support those in most need and welcomes donations to ensure the future of the hospice and its services: www.treetopshospice.org.uk/donate
A counselling session for a bereaved child costs £34.50. An overnight Hospice at Home nursing shift for a patient at the end of life costs £108.
Treetops Hospice, Derby Road, Risley, Derbyshire, DE72 3SS
0115 949 1264 | www.treetopshospice.org.uk
Registered Charity Number 519540
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