Marie Curie staff join Brighton Pride for the first time ever

Eager to advocate for end of life care that doesn’t discriminate, the team braved harsh winds, heavy rains and train strikes to march in the parade, securing a last minute coach to guarantee their arrival.

Sarah Middlemiss, senior campaign manager at Marie Curie said they were proud to walk alongside colleagues at the parade.

"Pride is a celebration of equality and diversity and also offers us a great chance to engage with people who either have used our services or may not know how to, especially those in the LGBTQ+ network who have historically found some palliative care services inaccessible.”

“This pride is even more special for us as we’re celebrating our 75th anniversary this year which not only provides us with an opportunity to reflect what we have achieved throughout the last 75 years, but also is an opportunity to look forward to the next 75 and how we can reach even more people.”

The charity says members of the LGBTQ+ community often experience greater challenges accessing end of life care; including previous negative experiences in healthcare settings and a higher risk of complex or disenfranchised grief, something Marie Curie hopes to amend.

“At Marie Curie, we want to ensure LGBTQ+ people feel supported and accepted through the end-of-life experience,” Jae Dixon, co-chair of Marie Curie’s LGBT+ network said.