Anne’s Story

“The Phyllis Tuckwell team has been unbelievable in the level of support we’ve had both before, during and after Pete’s death,” said Anne. “It’s almost like you get a hug.”

Pete and Anne met at work. They married and had two children, but when Pete was in his 30s, he discovered he had a heart condition. He was then diagnosed with cancer. He had treatment which cured the cancer, but did even more damage to his heart. “They’d come to the end of what they could do, and we just treasured all the time we had left,” said Anne.

Pete didn’t want to spend his last days in hospital or in a hospice, so he and Anne were visited by our Hospice at Home team, who care for patients at home. “For people, you can only do it right once,” said Emma, one of our nurses. “We take our time with patients, and with families too, because we’re looking after them as well.

When Pete died, we continued to support Anne. “You still felt there was someone there who could pick you up and offer you help,” she said. Anne was invited to our Listening Lounge sessions, where bereaved people whose loved one died from a terminal illness can come to meet others and find support. “They embrace the whole family and make sure you are looked after,” said Anne. “It’s so wonderful to experience.”

Watch Anne’s film to find out more about the care she and Pete received.