CELEBRATE the life of someone you love this summer by dedicating an everlasting sunflower to them.

St Rocco’s Hospice has launched a colourful memorial campaign to help families honour lost loved ones.

The sunflowers will go on display in front of the Town Hall from today until June 11 for everyone to enjoy before relatives collect them from the hospice.

A flower can be dedicated to anyone special in return for a donation and they do not have to have been a patient at St Rocco’s.

Six families shared their reasons for taking part in the project.

In memory of John Mercer

Warrington Guardian:

MUM-of-two Marie Mercer decided to get involved with the sunflower project with her two daughters in memory of their dad.

John died nine years ago at the hospice in the sunflower room.

The family returned to the centre on the anniversary of his death to dedicate a flower to their much-loved father.

Daughter Laura, who has a tattoo of a sunflower in memory of her dad, said: "We feel like he's here. It feels like we are doing him proud."

John, from Appleton, was at the Lockton Lane hospice for two weeks towards the end of his life.

His daughter Leanne Mercer-Buckley named her 16-year-old son after her father and his birthday is May 19, the date John died.

Leanne said: "We never thought we would be back here today, it's like it was meant to be.

"He would have loved to have seen my son, we will save a chair for him at the table.

"It's just not a sad day for us, it's a celebration of his life.

"He was really comfortable here, he was at peace. It was relaxing for him and the room was beautiful. It didn't feel like being in hospital."

John's wife Marie said the sunflower campaign is the perfect way to honour his life because he loved gardening.

She added: "After John died I came here for counselling. They really spoke to me and supported us.

"Even thought it's nine years later we will never forget it."

In memory of Johanne Wilkinson

Warrington Guardian:

SUNFLOWERS play an important part in Margaret Wilkinson's life because they were her daughter Johanne's favourite flower.

The keen gardener, from Great Sankey, lost her 26-year-old daughter six years ago.

Margaret said: "When Johanne was ill we had therapies here together, it was lovely.

"Sunflowers really were her favourite flower.

"Now we have Johanne's flowerbed outside the house and as people walk around the corner they see this row of sunflowers. I think it makes people smile.

"I love gardening and have already got my sunflowers ready for this year."

The 67-year-old volunteers at the charity's Lovely Lane shop and added: "After my daughter died I started volunteering in the garden at the hospice.

"Even though Johanne was never an inpatient here, St Rocco's were really helpful to us. They are great."

In memory of Valerie-Ann Fitzsimons

Warrington Guardian:

THE sunflower project has given Leanne Fitzsimons a unique way to pay tribute to her grandma, with the help of her granddad Trevor.

The pair are dedicating their flowers to Valerie-Ann, who died at the hospice in August 2011 at the age of 69 following a tumour on her kidney.

Mum-of-three Leanne, from Appleton, was so enthusiastic about the project that she volunteered with her colleagues to sort the sunflowers when they arrived at the hospice.

She said: "We lost my nan just after I had my daughter. She would push her around in her pram, she always wanted to push the pram.

"My nan chose my children's names - she called them Jack, Daisy and Ralph. Jack used to love her, she used to play Bob the Builder with him.

"It was her wish to be in here when she died.

"Nan enjoyed coming here and she used to work here, so she knew lots of people. I always see her as my second mum."

Trevor, from Great Sankey, said he is lucky to have his granddaughter and her family looking out for him.

The 77-year-old added: "Valerie-Ann thought the world of Leanne. 

"Cancer is very cruel."

In memory of Allison Lyons and Colin Jordan

Warrington Guardian:

A CLOSE family from Woolston decided the sunflower appeal would be the perfect way to pay tribute to the loved ones they have lost.

Gaynor Forster's sister Allison Lyons died from breast cancer in March 2013 and her father Colin Jordan passed away due to heart failure last year.

She said: "Allison was diagnosed at the age of 37 and she later developed melanomas on her back.

"She was so funny, she's still always in our conversations. She loved her rugby and we have a picture of her with all the Warrington players.

"I used to bring her into the daycare centre and she loved it.

"She came in here for respite and they were just brilliant. They still remember all of us when we come back here."

Allison died at the age of 48 and never got to see her 28-year-old daughter Jennie's son Teddy.

Jennie said: "We laughed, we cried, we did so much here. They said they have never had a family like us."

Gaynor added she will also be dedicating a sunflower to her father who died at the age of 76.

"I took him everywhere with me," she said.

"And then he died after he went to sleep."

In memory of Vicky and John Clutterbuck

Warrington Guardian:

THE hospice is an important place for Sue Clutterbuck to come and remember the close members of her family who she has lost.

The 63-year-old's husband died in October 1992 and in 2014 her daughter tragically passed away.

Sue said: "My daughter Vicky died on April 5 after battling a brain tumour, like her dad.

"My husband Colin died at the old hospice but Vicky passed away here."

The mum-of-two said Vicky bravely fought the tumour for seven years and the 35-year-old spent her final days at the Lockton Lane centre.

She decided to dedicate a sunflower in their memory and added: "I have supporting the hospice ever since.

"It's nice to come back here because I still see some of the nurses who took care of Vicky."

In memory of Kim Patino

Warrington Guardian:

CHRIS Patino and his wife Kim joked they had been upgraded to the 'honeymoon suite' during their stay at St Rocco's last year.

The couple were celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary at the hospice after 58-year-old Kim had suddenly fallen ill with a rare form of cancer.

Kim, who had recently moved to Fairfield and Howley with Chris to be near her parents, was diagnosed last summer.

Chris said: "We were absolutely devastated. She went downhill so quickly. We spent her last 12 nights together in the hospice.

"It was the saddest 12 days of my life. 

"Kim's two favourite flowers were lavender and sunflowers. For our anniversary we were moved into the sunflower suite, where she passed away on November 28."

Kim's friends and family have been fundraising for the hospice in her memory ever since.

"St Rocco's were absolutely phenomenal. They treated us with dignity, care and kindness," said Chris.

"I want to thank everybody there, from the cleaners to the cook to the night staff.

"They always asked how I was and I still get letters from them. They are about as close to angels on earth as you can get."

Three flowers have been dedicated in Kim's memory, from Chris, her parents and her auntie.

Chris added: "The sunflowers are beautiful, I'm delighted with them."

There is still time to dedicate a sunflower to someone special by visiting stroccos.org.uk/events /st-roccos-sunflowers or calling 575780.