Peter was diagnosed with cancer in March 2022 and passed away at Eden Valley Hospice 18 months later, on September 2, 2023. Maureen shared her thoughts: “I miss him every single day, but the hospice staff are still there on hand to help me manage my grief and find a new normal. I will never forget the care and comfort they gave us as a family.”
Maureen added: “They care for the whole family as well as the patient. And really, you are treated as family—you are not regarded as a patient. There was always someone to sit down and talk with. It was a very stressful time, and they did everything they could to minimise the stress. They sat and talked with us about memories. They are very keen to know who you are. You are not just a patient but a person with a name. And after your loved one is gone, the hospice is still there, and that matters a lot.”
She continued: “It is vital that we don’t lose this service. I don’t know if enough people realise that the hospice is a charity depending on the public for a lot of its funding. I can’t speak highly enough of the hospice. It is a service that really is vital – we must not let it go.”
Maureen reflected on her and Peter’s time together: “They say life begins at 40, and for me, it did because I met my best friend and soulmate. Peter had a wicked sense of humour and could talk more than me, which is saying something. He was a bit of a workaholic, but he still liked to live life to the full. We travelled extensively as a family.”
When they received the devastating news of Peter’s diagnosis with pancreatic cancer, Maureen explained: “Hospital staff thought an operation would put him in remission, but just when he started on chemotherapy, we were told the cancer had spread to his liver and lungs. Chemotherapy was brutal, and after deciding not to go ahead with a third round, I contacted Eden Valley Hospice, who invited Peter to attend their Men’s Club. He was reticent at first, but after a couple of times, he really enjoyed the camaraderie. It helped boost his spirits no end, and there was a hospice volunteer on hand to help with any worries or information.”
In August 2023, Peter was admitted to the hospice for respite care, to ensure he was receiving the right treatment. Maureen recalled: “The staff were amazing, and the family and friends were encouraged to spend time with Peter in his room. Staff were always on hand to discuss any issues we had.”
Peter’s biggest fear was ending his life in hospital. He wasn’t scared of dying, but he wanted to do it with dignity, and the hospice enabled him to do that. Maureen shared: “It also prepared us as a family, and on Peter’s last night, myself, our two daughters, and our son were able to spend it in his room, and I think he got comfort from knowing we were there in his last hours.”
