"Leaving a gift to St Helena Hospice in our Will feels like a natural continuation of our thanks. The care, dignity and compassion shown to mum, and to us as a family, was extraordinary. If this gift helps another family feel the same reassurance and support at such a difficult time, then it feels like exactly the right thing to do." - Colin and Terry

Colin: She went very quickly, didn’t suffer, didn’t have any pain. My mum was so independent, she could get around still. She had the oxygen but she could still get around, that’s what she wanted. But once she’d lost the use of her legs it was a completely different ball game; getting her up, moving her, which she really didn’t want. It’s quite hard to think about it now, very upsetting. So the chance of the hospice came up and she went in, which was really good. They looked after her so well, we are so impressed with it, really impressed with it. It’s a shame people don’t realise what they do, and only realise what they do once they need that.

Terry: It was heart-wrenching, but the hospice took such amazing care, even after she passed away. We came back in the room after she died and the nurses were still talking to her. It was just so respectful. The staff couldn’t do enough for you. I’d be at a loss as to how to praise it more

Colin: The care at the Hospice was 100% and it was all the time, not just when we turned up. We knew they’d been looking after her. They phoned us when they really thought it was the time coming up. About half past three in the morning we went down there. I got there about 4 o’clock and someone was actually sitting there with her, which was so lovely because they didn’t have to, but they did. I have so much respect for them and, as Terry said, when she did die they still talked to her as if she was still there. It really blows your mind they are that caring. They mean it and they are so genuine. 

Terry: We were astonished at how much it cost to look after her for five days! Even if our fundraising or the gift in our Wills goes some way towards creating a place for somebody else who’s in our position, we would be happy. The nurses were great, they’d come over and give you a hug and see if you wanted tea or something.

Colin: She kept her independence right up to the last couple of days, which was amazing really. I think the thing is that the cancer just grew. When they discovered it, it was the size of a tennis ball and we were told it was going to gradually push across and she would stop eating because she wouldn’t be able to swallow. It never really got there. At Christmas she was saying ‘I’m having trouble swallowing’ and we thought oh no, this is the swallowing thing. So I cooked Christmas dinner and she didn’t have any problems swallowing then! Loads of it, and she had more potato! It was quite amazing. 

As an East Londoner, I used to take her to Walton. She said to me one morning ‘you’d promised you’d take me for pie and mash and never got round to it’, so I had to get her to the pie and mash shop before she went into the hospice. She didn’t eat loads of it, but she did well. Good fun.

Eileen

Colin and Terry