Barry’s Story
Barry kindly shares why he has a deep connection to Hospice at Home and why he has made a decision to leave a Gift in his Will
Back in 2011, after years of battling illness and undergoing numerous treatments and surgeries, my family and I were delivered the devastating news that Sheena, my beloved wife aged just 45, was to enter palliative care. This was an earth-shattering moment for all of us. Sheena expressed her wish to spend her final days at home, surrounded by our family, including our daughters, Lauren and Stephanie.
Initially, everything seemed manageable until Sheena’s medical needs began to surpass my capacity to care for her alone, particularly during the night. Our GP recommended Hospice at Home, and from that moment onward, they became our lifeline. They provided incredible support, tending to Sheena through the night, offering hand and foot massages, and even providing bereavement counselling. They helped us come to terms with our present reality and understand the road ahead.
I recall one sleepless night when I went downstairs to make a cup of tea and was startled to find a nurse calmly knitting in my living room. It took me a moment to remember she was there to care for Sheena. During our chat, she revealed that over three-quarters of the services we were receiving were funded by charitable donations. I was completely gobsmacked, and even now, in 2025, that revelation still resonates deeply with me.
The level of professionalism and compassion we received from Hospice at Home was beyond anything I could have imagined. It was truly overwhelming, and it’s one of the reasons I’ve dedicated myself to raising funds through various sporting challenges like cycling across Cuba, California, and the Coast to Coast route, as well as participating in the Great North Run. I’ve also volunteered my time, collecting Christmas trees and taking part in charity collections in the centre of Carlisle.
Leave the greatest gift of all
www.hospiceathome.co.uk/gifts-in-wills
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