The hospice holds a special place in our hearts – my mum had volunteered there, and my grandad had been in their care. We always knew dad was in the most capable hands.
By mid-April this year, we learned the cancer had spread to his bones; and, although he’d initially wanted to spend his last days at home, we all realised Dove House was the best place for him to be. When the call came from Dove House at the end of April, they said, ‘There’s a bed available for you John, if you would like it’, so he took it.
The care was phenomenal. I’d never known anything like it, not just for dad – but for us too. Those small moments made the biggest impact: the 2am chats with nurses over cups of tea, meals made up for us – and, as always, that comforting hand to hold. On my birthday, we arranged a party in his room with the whole family – cakes, drinks, and the best birthday gift
of all: his trademark grin.