IN October last year, Fiona Hendry's husband Raymond was diagnosed with stomach cancer.

At first doctors hoped they would be able to remove the tumour, but in March surgeons found they could not operate and the 61-year-old and his family were told the illness was terminal.

Raymond was given palliative chemotherapy, which aggravated his symptoms and the family turned to the Marie Curie Hospice for help in April.

"All the staff there, the doctors and the nurses, seemed to have so much time, they always took plenty of time to give you information and answer questions and we always felt they were really truthful with us about everything.

"They included not only my husband, but myself and our daughters as well," said Fiona 57, from Bishopriggs, who visited Raymond in the hospice along with their daughters Jennifer, 20, Alison, 23, Gillian, 26.

She said: "I was with him nearly all the time he was there but the girls were free to come and go as they pleased and they found it a very relaxing, welcoming and warm atmosphere."

Raymond, who died at the age of 61 on July 8, this year, was cared for at the hospice for a number of weeks over three separate spells between April and July.

Now, Fiona, has decided to take part in the walk to give something back for the care her husband received.

She said: "They made his last few weeks as comfortable as they possibly could and for that I am really grateful because I was obviously very scared about him dying, but I think it was done in the most peaceful place and the most supportive place I can think of and I would like to repay them to some degree."

Joining Fiona on the night will be 19-year-old Heather Nisbet, from Rutherglen, and her sister Pamela, 26.

Their gran, Helen, received care at home from Marie Curie's community nurses after being ­diagnosed with liver cancer in February 2012.

She died at the age of 76, the following month on March 2, 2012.

Shop assistant Heather said: "We were all very close with my gran, she always babysat myself and my sister when we were younger, so it was difficult to see her going from being totally fine to just going down hill really quickly.

"It was terrible sitting watching her not remember who we were."

The nurses visited the family three times a day and offered advice and information about Helen's condition as well as providing physical care for her.

Heather said: "We were with my gran for two weeks and they were up every single morning, helping her, telling her jokes and making her smile.

"Because they made her laugh it took a weight off our shoulders them being there and helping us out, as much as they were helping her as well.

"As much as they helped us, we wanted to give that back."

Also supporting the charity is building officer at the charity, Michael Mears, who manages the maintenance of the hospice.

The 61-year-old, from Kirkmuirhill in South Lanarkshire, has worked for the hospice for 26 years and is planning to retire at the end of August.

He has seen the work the charity does from both sides, as an employee and as a service user when his dad was ill.

Michael's dad, Lawrence, who had a heart condition, spent two weeks in the hospice when it was based near Stobhill Hospice in 2005.

He died the following year at the age of 85.

Michael said: "My family has been helped and I have seen many families helped with their loves ones being cared for with end of life care and respite care.

"The journey towards the end of life is quite traumatic to families, so the help and guidance offered by hospices in helping them with this journey is essential and well catered for at the Marie Curie Hospice.

"Providing that care and providing that service while working here makes it a joy.

"You get a smile and you get thanks, you have conversations with the patients and their visitors and families, it is life as normal, it is just they are needing support going through the final stages."

The Walk Ten start at 6pm on Saturday, August 24.

All money raised will go towards the Marie Curie Hospice and the community nursing service throughout Glasgow, Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire.

Walkers will complete the route at their own pace before joining a celebration at 10pm.

Registration costs £10 and participants are urged to raise money through sponsorship.

For more information, visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/en-GB/events/walking/walk-ten-pollok-country-park-2013-9147/

matty.sutton@eveningtimes.co.uk