I remember the moment I received a phone call from Maria to say my dad had fallen down the stairs, had broken his hip and was now in Hospital. At the time I assumed it was age, but after thinking about it for a while I called Maria back to say I’d come down to see him. When he told me he thought he had cancer I didn’t react and just thought he was over reacting, his hip would heal and he’d eventually get better. Over the coming months I visited more often and saw the deterioration and still thought he would wake up and just be better. I thought this until the day he died, dad was the first person I’d lost to cancer. During this time my dad was at his home on a bed in the lounge and was costed multiple times day with all equipment supplied by St Luke’s. Without them he would have stayed in hospital and would not of had the comforts of being at home with Maria.

When I got a call from my mum to say Keith had cancer, I drove to see them that weekend. Going through it all again was a lot harder as now I knew what was coming. I struggled living so far away and lashed out at work, but hid my feelings from my kids. It was one of the hardest times of my life.

All during my self loathing St John’s again came and looked after Keith at their hospice and supported my mum. They even supplied a bed for me and my mum so we could stay over and be with Keith in his last moments.

I’m forever grateful for everything they have done for my family. They made some of the hardest parts of my life more manageable for the people I love.