Top doctor raises £100k for hospice

Dr Anne Marie Brandon, who recently left St Andrew’s Hospice to take up her new post at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, is a dedicated walker and climber who has travelled the world raising money.

The extensive list of challenges Anne Marie has taken on includes 12 international treks, two half marathons, five 30-mile hikes, ten Munro climbs in a weekend and later this year, she will take part in her first full marathon and trek the Annapurna Trail in Nepal.

Anne Marie said: “I was hooked on treks after my very first one. Getting to know other like-minded people and being able to raise money at the same time as seeing parts of the world that I would otherwise never have got to is a huge privilege.

“In between treks I have become accustomed to setting myself other challenges which help to keep me fit and at the same time allow me to raise more money.

“Working in the Hospice has given me the unique position of being able to see what a difference the money raised can make in the care provided to patients and their families.”

John Brady, head of fundraising at St Andrew’s Hospice, said: “As well as being a dedicated doctor, Anne Marie has also been a dedicated fundraiser for the Hospice.

“She’s literally gone to the ends of the earth for the Hospice by trekking in the Canadian Rockies, Peru and the Sahara Dessert as well as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. With other activities such as adventure challenges and treks in the UK, as well as attending our annual ball, she has raised over £100,000, making her a standout star fundraiser.

“So as well as personally caring for patients, she has helped fund patient care.”

He added: “We wish Anne Marie well in her new job and look forward to seeing her on our next trek in Nepal.”

St Andrew’s Hospice is a registered charity providing specialist palliative care for patients with conditions which require complex symptom management, and/or end-of-life care. It is Lanarkshire’s only specialist hospice.