Alex and Georgia's Story
Alex explains why his family is now dedicated to supporting the hospice, so other families, like his, can benefit from its services.
“We’re only a small family but we’re so close, and mum has always been at the centre of it, caring for everyone and making sure the whole family is ok before taking care of herself.
My grandma passed away two years before mum with the same bowel cancer diagnosis. It was only after mum was officially diagnosed, after grandma died, that we realised that mum had known something wasn’t right for a while. But she wanted grandma to receive the best care and support possible so wouldn’t put herself first and go to the doctor.
That was mum. When she died she left dad with a folder – she called it her “hit by a bus folder”, which contains everything we all need to get by – birthdays, important dates, how to use the banking and finance apps; you name it, it was there.”
Mum’s diagnosis
“After mum’s diagnosis in 2021 we were introduced to Katie from the hospice. She would visit us weekly at home, and every week mum would tell her she was fine. But, despite her protests, Katie knew mum needed her and she knew what was best for her care. We are so grateful for everything she did for mum, and for us.”
Finding happiness in the worst times
“The thing about the hospice is, until you need it you don’t really appreciate what it is. You don’t realise how much funding is need to keep it running or how many services it provides. As a family, we didn’t realise that so much happiness could be found from such a sad time in our lives. And the hospice played such a huge part in that.
One of the things mum struggled with most was that she just couldn’t get comfortable. Bu when she was admitted to the hospice, we saw an immediate change. She told us she was happy, she was eating all sort – corned beef butties and tomato soup – things she hadn’t had in years. Seeing her like that, right until the end, that made all the difference.
The hospice did everything they could to look after mum, so we’ve made a commitment that we’ll do everything we can to look after mum.”
Remembering mum
“In typical mum fashion, she arranged her own cremation and requested that no fuss was made by way of a funeral, as, in her words “I don’t want everyone standing around crying.”
But we couldn’t not make a fuss, and we had a celebration of mum’s like, all whilst raising money for the hospice, which was incredible. So many people came – people we hadn’t seen in years, others we hadn’t even met before but had known mum over the years. She hated fuss but she’d have loved that everyone had come together, even if it was all for her.
We remember mum in everything we do, and the whole family have been back to the hospice since losing her – it’s such a special place for us and feels like it has changed from being a place which holds a sad memory to one which is now home to lots of happy memories, whether it’s seeing mum at ease or of doing the fire walk to raise money in mum’s memory.
We are so grateful to be able to come into the garden and see the daisy we planted for mum, and to see Roman, Georgia’s little boy talking to his Aunty Angela as he’s walking around. Even he finds comfort from being at the hospice – we couldn’t be more thankful for this place.
Despite knowing very little about the hospice just a few years ago, it’s now a place we all hold so dear, and a place that we’ll always support, just like the hospice has supported us.”
Published February 2025