“Having the care of St Giles Hospice was such a help and such a relief to us all. My dad and I couldn’t cope on our own but the nurses came in and they did everything they could to help.”
Veterinary nurse Lucy Gunn lives in Tamworth with her partner Tom and 10-year-old son, Keir. Lucy is supporting St Giles Hospice following the care her mum, Nancy, received.
Nancy was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2017 and she died at home, where she wanted to be, in March 2019. The day Nancy was diagnosed as being terminally ill was really the first time Lucy had heard about hospice care and St Giles Hospice.
“It was very important to mum that she could stay at home and when they told us it was an option it made such a difference. We had hospice nurses coming in twice a day – as soon as we opened the door to the nurses the darkness lifted; they were there for us just when we needed them most.”
Lucy added: “They would never do anything without talking to mum first and letting her know, whether she was able to respond or not. As well as ensuring mum received the medical care she needed, the nurses also helped to put on face cream, do her hair and asked whether she wanted any perfume on. It all seems like very little things, but they were treating mum as an individual and they gave her what she wanted.”
Lucy went on to say: “My son, Keir, was very close to my mum and the hospice helped him through his grief thanks to Phoenix – its dedicated bereavement support service for children and young people. To have that support for Keir was such a relief and comfort to us as a family.
“St Giles understands that death is not the end of the story – our loved ones lived, were loved and they meant so much to so many people. Mum was able to be at home until the end, which is what she wanted, and that’s why we’ll always support St Giles.
“Remembering loved ones through events like Celebrate Lives Lived means a lot to us and we mark the occasion on our calendar every year and go along to visit the garden. We’re doing it for mum.
“It costs St Giles Hospice more than £10 million to deliver the care it provides each year – and every Celebrate Lives Lived dedication helps to support families like mine.”
By supporting Celebrate Lives Lived, you’re helping us continue to care for local people and their families, just like Lucy Gunn and her late mum, Nancy.
It takes a community to make a hospice. Thank you.
