A kind-hearted funeral director who has been touched by cancer is raising money for Walsall patients needing palliative care by selling special keepsakes.
Kara Babb is selling memory baubles this Christmas so people can remember their loved ones who have passed away.
The 45-year-old, who works at Co-op Funeral Care in Bloxwich, will be donating all proceeds to Walsall Palliative Care Centre to support patients living with cancer.
The clear baubles open up to reveal a feather and a note to write a message to those who are no longer with us. They also come with silver twine to hang up on a Christmas tree. The baubles are on sale for £1.50 and can be purchased from Co-op Funeral Care in Bloxwich.
Mother-of-one Kara, from Pelsall, said: “I wanted to create these baubles as it is something very close to my heart.
“My husband Shaun is in remission from having Stage 4 bowel cancer, so I have personally been affected by cancer. And working in funeral care, I look after the community when people pass away.
“I was originally just going to use a feather, but Shaun came up with the idea to add a note which I thought was a really nice touch as Christmas can be a really difficult time for some people. Doing this can help keep the memory alive of those they have lost.
“I want all the money we raise from this to go the Palliative Care Centre because we may all need its services at some point in our life or know someone who will. So it is really important to support where we can, especially with cancer always changing.
“It feels like an achievement to do this, as an individual and as a business. I feel privileged to be able to help patients and their families during this time.”
Walsall Palliative Care Centre delivers high quality medical and nursing and therapy care for local people living with cancer and other serious illnesses, as well as offering support for their families and carers.
The centre will provide care and support services for a wide range of patients and carers from across the community and its facilities provided by the NHS include:
- A specialist day hospice facility
- Specialist community palliative care service
- Complementary therapy service
- Specialist therapies teams
- Cancer and palliative information and support services
- Specialist lymphoedema services
- Voluntary services
- Psychology
- Bereavement services
- An outpatients department offering a range of consultation facilities
- Benefits advice