Cath's Sunbeam Story
Staff and Volunteer Stories
In April 2023, Rotherham Hospice said goodbye to a very special person following the retirement of Cath Todd, the founder of Rotherham Hospice’s Children’s Bereavement Support Group – Sunbeams.
Sunbeams helps young people understand their grief whilst providing them with a space to be creative, express their feelings and interact with other children who are also going through a bereavement.
Cath's lasting legacy
During her 25 years at Rotherham Hospice, Cath has positively touched many families’ lives.
Cath and the Sunbeams team have supported 368 children since the service began.
Cath has also gone above and beyond her job description at every stage of her career here at Rotherham Hospice, always coming up with new and creative ways to fundraise the vital funds needed to keep the Hospice alive. She was a big supporter of our first Midnight Memory Walk and continues to volunteer for many Hospice fundraising events.
After 25 years, Cath is retiring from the Hospice, but we know her connection will continue to stay strong. We all wish Cath a happy and relaxing retirement and thank her for her incredible work over the years.
Speaking at her farewell party in the Hospice on Thursday, Cath said, “Thank you for all the support I’ve had from the Hospice over the last 25 years. It’s been a wonderful place to work and I am proud of Sunbeams and what we have managed to set up.”
The Sunbeams story
Sunbeams was set up in 2011, but the story starts when the need for a specific children’s bereavement support service was first officially recognised back in 2000, when Cath Todd was a nurse on the Rotherham Hospice inpatient unit.
Working on the inpatient unit, Cath realised the Bereavement support the Hospice provided was helping bereaved adults, but the children left behind (perhaps by a grandparent, parent, an aunt or uncle) were hurting too. Cath and her colleague, Liz Hetherington, wanted to support the whole family.
In their first year they worked with seven bereaved children whose close ones were cared for in the Hospice in-patient unit. The majority of this was done voluntarily in their own time; and at their own expense to ensure the children were suitably supported.
The final push came from the team’s relationship with John Breckin, retired assistant manager of Rotherham United FC and Rotherham Hospice ambassador. John’s beloved wife Denise discovered she had cancer at 40 and died in the Hospice aged just 48, leaving John to cope with his own grief and care for their daughter. John says:
“Cath helped me and my family through a really tough time, especially my daughter who was eight. I will always be in debt to her.”
It was in September 2015 that the Hospice finally received enough funding to pay for Cath to run and expand the Sunbeams service – the only one of its kind in the area. This was possible due to kind donations from the public, as well as a valued donation of £3,000 from the Caron Keating Foundation (Gloria Hunniford’s daughter, who died young of breast cancer).
Sunbeams shines on
Cath is confidently handing over the operation of the Sunbeams service which will continue to provide this essential support to the children and young people close to people in the care of Rotherham Hospice.
Find out more about Sunbeams and how to get a referral by clicking the red button.
Your message to Cath
If Cath or Sunbeams has helped you and your loved ones, we’d love to hear from you. We will pass on your message to Cath and the team.
Please fill out the form below to share a story of how Cath and/or Sunbeams has impacted you.
Cath truly is a credit to our nursing profession. I had the pleasure of nursing with Cath, and I’ve learned so much from her. She will be missed.
Cath helped me and my family through a really tough time, especially my daughter who was eight. I will always be in debt to her.
Congratulations on a wonderful career, Cath. You deserve a long and happy retirement. Thanks for your work with Sunbeams which my little sister benefitted from.
It has always been a great pleasure to visit you at Sunbeams. There was always a wonderful atmosphere bringing the joy of Christmas to young people at a time when they needed it most. Your enthusiasm and dedication was without doubt the driving force behind bringing together that wonderful team of volunteers. I wish you every good wish and you can be sure your legacy will be the continued support for young people in their darkest hours. Lots of love Santa
Thank you for all you help for me and two boys it meant so much and amazing program of activities. Take care and all the best for the future. x
Hi Cath, what a wonderful legacy you have given so much time to all those children, my daughter Maya Beaumont loved every minute she spent at Sunbeams and still has many of her ‘treasures’ that she made with you. You brought so much joy to her at a time when things were so hard. A huge thank you from us both. Huge love from Jackie & Maya xxx
Enjoy your retirement Cath. It was an honour to support you in your endeavours to provide a wonderful, essential service to children and young people with their grief.
Happy Retirement Cath! It was a pleasure to work with you on the inpatient unit and by setting up Sunbeams you are truly inspirational. Ellie loved her time with the group and we can't thankyou enough ! Xx
Thank you isn't enough for how you supported Albie after he lost his Grandma (they were best friends). As parents we were worried he would be too young for the group as he was only 4, but Cath put our mind at ease that she would tailor things for his age as well. Albie enjoyed every support session, he still asks now if he can go back to Sunbeams, and often when we drive past he'll ask if Cath is working at Sunbeams. Sunbeams for us gave Albie an outlet other than family to talk to and understand death better. He/we cherish the items he made at the sessions to travel on his own journey in grieving for his Grandma. Everyone at Sunbeams holds a special place in our hearts, the work they do is amazing and I hope it continues to support other children to process their grief alongside peers of the same age on similar journeys. Thank you Thank you thank you xxxx
I worked with Cath on Neuro Surgery at the Hallamshire many years ago she was and is everything a nurse should be caring putting patients first .She is a true and loyal friend to this day. She will be missed at Sunbeams I’m sure ,but she’ll miss you more !
Such a genuine, kind lady who has made a difference to the lives of all she has cared for. A pleasure to have worked with you Cath, a true inspiration. Much love Cath ❤
I am so proud of Cath you have worked so hard to keep the service going even through a pandemic. I know what Sunbeams means to you and others that have worked on your team through the years thank you!
Cath what can I say, you have helped so many families over the years & will be so missed at the hospice, by everyone who’s had the pleasure of getting to know you. I will forever be grateful for you taking a chance on me as a volunteer & being my mentor… I wouldn’t be where I am now without you! Enjoy your well earned retirement. Claire xx
You made Sunbeams an incredible place and helped so many families. You were an inspirational nurse with care and compassion at your core. Enjoy your retirement Cath! Hopefully see you at the Christmas events xx
How can you help?
There are many ways you can support us, whether it be through holding an event, playing in our lottery, volunteering, or donating!
