“St Luke’s Hospice treated us like family”

Many years after St Luke’s Hospice cared for a loved one, supporting the hospice remains an important part of the Varsani family’s life.

The care shown to Deven Varsani’s mother at St Luke’s Hospice 13 years ago stayed with the family long after she died. And they have been giving back ever since.

What began as gratitude slowly became part of family life.

So come Saturday, 27 June, Wembley’s Bhavna and Deven Varsani, daughter Prisha and Deven’s father Devshi, will return to Byron Hall in Harrow to be part of St Luke’s Starlight Walk.

The family connection to St Luke’s began in 2012 when Deven’s mother, Kanta, was cared for at the hospice during the final weeks of her life.

“She was treated with so much love, care and respect and we felt the same as well,” Bhavna said.

Bhavna says the support reached far beyond the hospice itself.

“When you have an unwell loved one, that love, care and respect really sticks with you,” she said. “You’re at a point where you’re so vulnerable because you know that you’re losing this person.”

“We were showered with so much support. I think it probably helped us in our journey of grief and everything that came afterwards.”

The family never drifted away from St Luke’s after that.

Over the years they have joined more fundraising events than they can count, such as Colour Runs, Santa Dashes, Starlight Walks and community events across Harrow and Brent. Deven even completed a skydive for the hospice, while the couple have both run the London Marathon and London Landmarks Half Marathon.

Volunteering soon became part of family life too.

At last year’s Starlight Walk, Bhavna welcomed walkers at registration, helping hand out event T-shirts as Byron Hall filled with flashing lights and glowing headbands. Later that evening, Deven, as part of the security sweep team, walked behind participants to make sure everyone finished safely.

Prisha, now 10, has spent most of her life around St Luke’s events.

“Even she said to me last year, ‘I want to volunteer again, it was so much fun,’” Bhavna laughed.

Bhavna says more and more local families they know are now turning to St Luke’s too.

“It’s not just what they do for patients,” she said. “It’s what they do for the family of the patients and the community around.”

This year, the Varsani family will once again be among the crowds helping light up the streets for St Luke’s Hospice.

You can sign up for Starlight Walk here.