Teresa's Story 

Terry and I met at work and after nine months we got married! We had a wonderful life together and were married for 18 great years. Terry had prostate cancer which then spread to his bones, and he had problems with his heart after having several heart attacks, but he was such a positive person, he never moaned about his illnesses, he just got on with it.

We had been coming to the hospice’s Friday Friends for quite a while and I had also previously been to the Dove House Career’s Group. We loved spending time there and with the friends we had made.

Terry became extremely low and lost movement in his legs, the cancer had spread to his bones and the last eight weeks of his life in hospital were horrible. He unfortunately never made it home. I am a strong person, but it was hard.

Coming back to Friday Friends after Terry had died was very difficult but it helped that others knew him, everyone at the group had loved him. Where he used to sit was just empty and a hard thing to see but I know that if I hadn’t come back to the group I wouldn’t have been able to cope. The support from the group is what keeps me going. The people that attend are like me and they just get it. Anything goes and you can express any feelings you have. They are my friends and we often meet up outside of the group. I don’t know what I would do without them in my life.

I myself had cervical cancer but I have recently received the all clear, it is such a relief. Everyone at the hospice has been so friendly and supportive, especially through the hard times. 

I would have been lost without them. I am thankful for Friday Friends each week and everything it has done for me and did for Terry.