Ethan & Jared’s Mum Beth spent two months at Dove House Hospice before she died there peacefully. She was exactly where she wanted to be. Her husband Carl and their two children, Ethan 15 years old and Jared 12 years old, had come to love the hospice and everyone in it. Their time there was filled with laughter, joy and precious family memories that they hold dear to their heart. It’s those moments that still bring them joy when they look back and think about their Mum.
As a family they had the most jam packed, fun filled last 8 years from when Beth first received her breast cancer diagnosis. They traveled, went on as many rollercoasters they could and literally cherished every last second, they had together. It was only right that when they all came to the hospice that they continued this magnificent embrace for life.
Beth was cared for in the hospice’s Inpatient Unit during the first lockdown but Dove House continued to allow visitors for their patients. The boys spent as much time as they could with their Mum, Ethan particularly took to helping feeding his Mum towards the end. They did amazing crafts with our Activities Coordinator Amanda, who they built a beautiful friendship with over the 8 weeks and one of our social workers, Janet, who played many games with them to help them talk about their emotions. Janet also arranged for them to have a movie night at the hospice, together as a family. Covid restrictions meant that all patients have to have their own room and this enabled the whole family to sleep over with Beth. Treat boxes of popcorn and sweets were prepared by the hospice team to make it extra special. They then enjoyed breakfast in bed together the next morning, just like they would have had they have been at home. Dove House meant they could do everyday family things that when your able to are often taken for granted, these things were all the boys wanted to do.