"A lifeline"

I had been very depressed and lonely with nobody to talk to when my breast care nurse suggested coming to the hospice. I’ll admit I was apprehensive, I didn’t know what to expect and found it quite daunting, to me the hospice was a place you came to die - but I came for an initial talk with the nurse and decided to come along on a Friday.

Two other new people started on the same day as me, and there have been two people that I got close to who have died since then, that’s the hard part. It’s well worth coming though, I can let go of things here, talk about my illness in a way that I wouldn’t at home, with people who understand. I’ve benefited greatly from complementary therapies and relaxation. I’ve also been an in-patient three times and coming on a Friday first definitely made that easier. My pain is complex, and I know that my GP wouldn’t be able to help the way the doctor here has.

I do feel that there could maybe be more activities on a Friday, (there used to be a girl who’d come in and do our nails), and I feel it’s a shame that it’s been changed to a 12 week programme, some people are just coming out of their shells when their 12 weeks are up, but I do understand that the places are needed for other folk.

I can’t say a bad thing about the place or the people who work here, including the volunteers, they are all fabulous and go above and beyond to help, the hospice has been a lifeline for me.