Sue’s story

“Sue was such a bubbly person, really sociable, caring, indomitable and inspiring. She and her husband Brian loved to travel, from Rhodes to Thailand and America to Singapore. But she was happiest when she was with all the family on our trips to Swanage.

“Sue loved being a mum and even more so a grandma. She loved singing and getting all glammed up for a night out with Brian or her Pilates friends. She was always baking, never one cake at a time, always two or more! And she loved musicals; Les Miserables was her favourite.

“After her diagnosis, she stayed at home as long as possible, being cared for by Brian and her daughters, Rebecca and Lisa, but the time eventually came when Sue had deteriorated and it was recommended that she go into Katharine House Hospice.

“Katharine House gave full-time personal care for Sue, providing medical assessments and medicine if needed.

“They accommodated her in unprecedented ways, organising a tea party for her and later a birthday party where she was queen for a day. Nothing was too much for the team there and they made her remaining few weeks special, she didn’t just fade away.”

“The hospice gave Sue freedom in her last few weeks and relieved the stress and depression that had been creeping in slowly at home. Even being able to have a bath was so special – bubbles every time!”

Support for all

“As a family, the hospice was incredibly supportive. There was always someone to chat to and provide cuddles if needed. Sue was so cared for and there were more laughs than we could have hoped for. She loved to laugh. While she was at Katharine House, she was the happiest I’d seen her since her diagnosis.

“The peace and calmness of the hospice really stood out for me. Just knowing that Sue was getting the best possible care gave us the ability to breathe. It allowed her daughters and husband to step away from being Sue’s carers and just be there with her, which was a real gift.

“It was unexpected to discover that you can find beauty in each final moment with your loved one, and Katharine House is a wonderful place for allowing this to happen.

“Words cannot do justice to the unparalleled end-of-life care at the hospice. Everyone in the area has been touched in some way by the tremendous care and compassion offered by Katharine House and to know we have such a resource so close is very comforting.”

Please help us help people like Sue and her family

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.
• To receive regular news about development at the hospice and ways to support us, please sign up to our digital newsletter.