Patient & family stories

Gordon’s story

Read about how the Living Well team searched out a special gift for Gordon, who regularly attended our Monday morning Living Well sessions.

Gordon Vincent took part in our Monday morning Living Well sessions for some time. We were so pleased to be able to give him a special gift during his time with us, with no strings attached!

During a weekly Living Well session, Gordon shared a treasured memory about his childhood and how he’d spent many happy hours with his mother putting on puppet shows. He explained that she was very talented at creating the puppets, which she had learned to do from a book, and estimated that they had around 40 to 50 of them. Sadly, over the years the puppets had been lost, and Gordon told the group that he would love to be able to have another puppet as a way to remember his mother and the special times they shared.

One of the things that makes hospice care so special is that our teams go out of their way to try and help patients make the most of every moment and achieve their goals. So Ann Davies, our Living Well Enablement Healthcare Assistant, set out to try and find a puppet for Gordon, and where better to go than one of our charity shops!

Success!

Sarah Wilkinson, Shop Assistant at our Banbury shop, was thrilled to be able to help. She explained: “Ann came to the shop looking for a puppet for Gordon. As it happened, we’d had a puppet donated to the hospice around two years ago, and I’d bought it for my own children. As they are now a bit older I was so happy to be able to pass it on for Gordon. His story really touched me. We’re so much more than a charity shop – we’re passionate about helping our community.”

Sarah visited the hospice during a Living Well session so she could meet Gordon and see the joy that the puppet had brought to him. Gordon told us: “These two ladies, Ann and Sarah, have given me back a bit of my childhood and are owed an enormous vote of thanks.”

Find out more about Living Well

We know that when you’re affected by a serious illness you will have your own wellbeing and support needs, whether you’re a patient, carer, family member or someone who has experienced a bereavement. The Living Well service is here to support you and to help you find ways to enhance your wellbeing, which we hope, in turn, will enable you to live your life in a happier, more fulfilling way.

Please help us help people like Gordon

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.

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Katharine House Hospice

To find out more about the work we do, read What we do.
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