As the new president of the Ulster Farmers Union, David Brown has more than one reason for asking his members to support the work of Marie Curie, the leading end of life care provider.

Not only has the Co. Fermanagh man long been an admirer of the caring service that Marie Curie provides throughout Northern Ireland, he has another good reason much closer to home.

Mary, his wife of 30 years, has been working for Marie Curie as a community nurse for the last three years, visiting homes in the west of the province providing end of life care for people with terminal illness.

He’s as proud of her as she is of him and his new role in representing farmers as they face challenging times ahead with rising energy bills and feed and fertiliser costs, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine.

“Sometimes I will attend a funeral in the community and someone will come over to me to say hello and shake my hand and thank me for everything that Mary has done for their loved one as a Marie Curie Nurse and I haven’t even been aware that Mary had even been calling at that home,” said David.

“I never have a clue who she’s attending to. She is so discreet and so dedicated that she just gets up and goes out, doing great work and helping people and their relatives in their final days.”

David's support of Marie Curie means that thousands of pounds have already been raised at various UFU events across Northern Ireland, with the big yellow collections buckets being generously handed out around members.

The couple are encouraging the farming community to turn out to support Marie Curie’s Twilight Walk which takes place at Barnett Demesne in Belfast from 7.30pm or alternatively, people can organise their own local walk to raise money. Every £180 raised covers a night of care either in the community or at the Belfast hospice.

Mary works two nights a week, providing Marie Curie overnight visits to people’s homes or in Marie Curie’s Rapid Response service, which responses to calls for nursing assistance in every night and all day at weekends and over bank holidays.

After 24 years of working in a local nursing home, Mary wanted a change of direction and a new challenge.

She began to work one night a week for Marie Curie while maintaining her nursing home job, but within six months, she worked exclusively for Marie Curie.

“What I enjoy most is knowing that I have been a small part of the team within the community that has enabled the family to keep their loved one at home if that was their last wish,” explained Mary.

“It’s supporting family at a time when they are exhausted, they are so appreciative and trusting when they leave them in our care. Marie Curie is a charity that is highly regarded in the community, it’s something that I’m very aware of every time I put on my uniform. In Fermanagh and Omagh area, we have a great team of Marie Curie nurses and health care assistants who support each other."

To support Marie Curie’s Twilight Walk, visit https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/get-involved/charity-events/hiking/twilight-walk-northern-ireland for information how to register before the event. The Twilight Walk gives people who have been bereaved a chance to come together to celebrate their lives with the lighting of a lantern at the end of the short walk.