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Alexandra: My husband, Chris was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour in July 2016 and given a depressing 11 month prognosis.  We felt we were in free-fall; he'd been incredibly fit - he'd gone to his gym, Nuffield Health Paddington, practically every weekday of his life.  He'd always treated his body with respect and took his health seriously.  And yet he was faced with this horror.  But maybe his fitness was a huge reason behind his extended 30-month journey, only 4% survive a year.  

During this time he had bouts of immobility which would have been impossible to manage without the help of St. John's hospice, in St. John's Wood, London, who regularly gave him respite care to get him back on his feet and give him some independence back.  Their care was remarkable.  He was given daily physio and nothing was too much trouble.  And their care didn't end when he was well enough to come home; they would continue to visit him and check on his progress and make sure all his needs were being met.

But in reality, their care extended well beyond Chris; they gave us all a safe place to visit, where we'd be able to talk comfortably with his dedicated team of nurses about how best to help us all cope with this "new normal".  The children were 15, 17 and 19 years old and found this very hard to take in.  Without the hospice team, I can't begin to think how we'd have got through the last three years.  He finally died on Christmas Day 2018 - but rather than being a horribly sad day, it was for him - I'm sure, a relief to be free and flying again, and for us a relief that he was no  longer having to live a life that he didn't want.

Please help us to raise money to make sure that this hospice can continue to help families like us give their loved ones a better death so that we can remember them with love and carry on.

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