I’ve been blown away by St Catherine’s
Wendy, 49, recently came under our care when she learned that her cancer had metastasized into her brain despite earlier receiving the all clear. Here she shares more.
“Mentally I went from thinking “I’ve beaten an awful aggressive cancer against the odds.” I was planning my return to work and a family holiday for my 50th. Then just three weeks later, 15 lesions were found in my brain. I was told I have just a few months but maybe even weeks, or days to live,(if I had a stroke or seizure). It was a huge shock and adjustment for my whole family.
I’ve spent the last couple of months doing my “life laundry”
Finding a new MD to urgently hand over to at work, sorting out my will, banks, pensions and insurances, and putting things in place for my children. The practicalities that come with dying all needed urgent tackling when I felt my worst. It was a really challenging time but now the admin is done it’s a huge weight off my mind.
I’m channelling my energies to the things I can control to make the best of the time I have left, enjoying time with the people I love and raising funds and awareness for your brilliant hospice.
I’ve been blown away by your hospice
I remember seeing St Catherine’s for the first time and being struck by its beautiful design and the lovely welcome, kindness and warmth I was met with. I had no idea such a wonderful place existed on my doorstep, not just a place where very ill people go to die which was my ignorant understanding.
When my time comes, I want to be at the hospice. It’s such a positive choice. To fade away at home in front of my kids would be ghastly. I’d hate that.
Death and the pathway to that is scary for me, probably for us all, but it’s less scary if I know that I can be taken care of in a beautiful place, surrounded by kind experts who genuinely care, and who can support my family too.
The lack of sustainable funding for your hospice has really shocked me
I can’t believe how this wonderful new hospice, that had land donated and huge community support to build it, is now underused because of a lack of sustainable funding.
So many people who should and could use it are missing out. It’s wrong on so many levels.
So when people asked what they could do for me I said “Don’t send flowers or gifts, help St Catherine’s.”. So far we’ve donated to your charity shops, plus I’ve raised over £6,000 through two raffles for stays in my Cornwall home. Then my stepdaughter’s running the London marathon next year to raise even more. I’ll do everything I can to help and raise funds and awareness for your hospice whilst I’m still well enough.
If you’re reading this, thank you for supporting the hospice. You help people like me live, and feel reassured that I’ll be supported when I need it most.”
