David’s story

After receiving care from Katharine House, David was very keen to give back to the hospice, so we created a volunteer role just for him. 

When David arrived at Katharine House in an ambulance in April 2024, he was greeted with a warm welcome and the offer of a cup of tea. He recalled: “Over two weeks, they took me from extreme pain and feeling close to death to feeling like I could leave in a pair of spiked running shoes! I felt that I was loved because I was in their care … total love.”

“It was an amazing relief,” said Valerie, David’s wife of 58 years. “I felt so helpless. What impressed us was they were so patient. They said, ‘you are not leaving until you’re out of pain.’ They were so caring, lovely, friendly and always had the time to chat.”

London-born David had been living with cancer for nine years. He explained: “I was as fit as a fiddle until I retired from several volunteering roles at the age of 71, then was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer and given 18 months to live.” Fortunately, a life-saving chemo treatment became approved by NICE, which did its job – but then David was diagnosed with unrelated liver cancers.

Clinical, spiritual and holistic care

In addition to the clinical care that resolved David’s pain through medication, the holistic, spiritual and practical support he was given really stood out to the couple. “They were concerned for my WHOLE being, not just the medicine,” continued David. “My health as a whole mattered, and they encouraged me to get into the garden. Food was also very important. In the 14 days I was there, I never had the same meal offered to me twice. One day I fancied a cheese and tomato sandwich and said ‘sprinkled with salt’ as a joke – and that’s how it arrived! Yippee!”

As a Christian, the spiritual side of his hospice care was also very important to David, who chatted daily with our hospice Chaplain, Jo. Both David and Valerie also enjoyed the chapel, with its quiet space and beautiful books.

And it wasn’t just the staff who made an impression. Valerie said: “I hadn’t realised how many volunteers worked at the hospice. It’s incredible! And lovely to watch all of the gardeners. Because without volunteers they would be really stuck.”

“Nothing was too much trouble. They even let dogs in, so it was lovely to have a visit from our son and daughter-in-law’s dog, Alfie. And the support from the social worker with arranging a Blue Badge was superb. As a relative, the kitchen was really useful on the ward and being able to use it as you wish. It makes such a difference and the location is brilliant.” Valerie

A new role

David was so impressed with the hospice, he asked if he could volunteer, once he felt fit enough.

So, it was with David in mind that we created a brand-new Patient Ambassador role where patients go out into the community to share their experiences of the hospice in a bid to encourage support and spread the word.

David started spreading the word while he was on the ward, telling us at the time: “I used every ounce of energy to take friends round who said what a lovely place this is – and they are already fundraising!”

David led an incredible life.  As a teen, he was involved in Scouting, then turned his hand to being a dental ceramicist before becoming a policeman for 30 years, as well as a local preacher. David mentioned modestly that he had done some work in Belarus to help those affected by radioactive contamination from the Chernobyl disaster. He didn’t mention that he was awarded an MBE for this incredible work.

Because of the peace, tranquillity and care that David received at Katharine House, he said he would like his end-of-life care to take place here, which is what the clinical team at the hospice were able to organise for him when the time came. David died peacefully at Katharine House Hospice early in January 2025.

Please help us help people like David

It is thanks to the donations of our wonderful supporters that we’re able to continue providing care to people affected by life-limiting illnesses and their families, helping them make the most of the time they have left and create quality memories with their loved ones. If you would like to make a donation, please click on the button below.

Katharine House Hospice

• To find out more about the work we do, read What we do.
• Read about the End-of-life care and Palliative Care (EPiC) Resource Centre, designed to support you and your family and friends, wherever you are in your journey with Katharine House Hospice.
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