My step-mum,
Sue Armitage

On 10 December 2025 I lost my step-mum — the woman who became one of the most important people in my life — after a short but brutal battle with secondary cancer.

Her final days were spent in the gentle, compassionate care of Lindsey Lodge Hospice in North Lincolnshire, a place that gave her dignity, comfort and peace when she needed it most. That same place gave our family strength we didn’t know we had.

She was so much more than “step-mum”. For decades she served as a councillor in our community, quietly dedicating her life to helping others. Everyone knew her — she was the one who listened, who fought for what was right, who gave without ever asking for anything in return. But to me, she was the one person who never gave up on me.

During my teenage years I rebelled hard. I pushed against authority, made mistakes, and felt like the world — and sometimes even my own family — had turned its back. But not her. She stood by me through every storm. She believed in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. She pulled me through the darkest times with patience, love and unwavering support. She saved me in ways I can never fully repay.

Just three years earlier I had lost my dad suddenly to a heart attack. When she passed, the grief felt unbearable — two of the people who anchored my world, gone in such a short space of time. In those raw days after her death at Lindsey Lodge, I kept thinking about the care she received there: the kindness of the nurses, the quiet comfort of the rooms, the way they supported not just her, but all of us. That hospice didn’t just care for her body; they cared for her spirit, and for our hearts too.

I knew I had to do something meaningful. Something big enough to honour her incredible life of service, her endless giving, and the love she showed me when I needed it most.

That’s why I’m taking on Ski4Mum: skiing 570,000 vertical metres over 57 days. It’s an immense physical and mental challenge — pushing my body day after day through exhaustion, cold and doubt — but it’s nothing compared to what she endured, or what Lindsey Lodge does every single day for families like ours.

If she taught me anything, it’s that even in our hardest moments we can still give back. She gave to our community her whole life. Now, through Ski4Mum, I want to give something back to the hospice that cared for her so beautifully, and help ensure they can continue their vital work for years to come.

Please help me honour her memory. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a real difference. Together, let’s turn grief into something hopeful. For her. For the hospice. For every family who will need their care in the future.