St. Michael’s Hospice has over 100 staff and is assisted by over 700 volunteers.
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St. Michael’s Hospice In-Patient Unit provides the best possible care for patients living with life-limiting illness.
In July 2022, following a biopsy my husband, Stewart, was diagnosed with Prostrate Cancer. Although it was difficult to accept palliative care, it was such a relief to be admitted to the Hospice.
After receiving his Prostate Cancer diagnosis, Stewart started hormone therapy and for the next 18 months coped very well, enabling us to almost carry on “as normal”. The Oncologist explained the average longevity was 5 years, but Stewart was adamant he would have 10 years.
In December 2023, Stewart contracted sepsis and after a traumatic 16 hours in resuscitation he was transferred to cardiology as the sepsis had affected the replacement valve in his heart. Four weeks later Stewart came home, but the sepsis had affected his mobility. The following meeting with the oncologist left us devastated as we were told Stewart could no longer have chemotherapy as his heart was too weak, and the cancer was spreading. It was at this point that we were advised to consider palliative care to help us through the time Stewart had left.
As ever Stewart wasn’t prepared to give in and we sought a second opinion, but they confirmed that it was likely Stewart had only months, not years, left and that we would definitely need support from palliative care.
This was our first introduction to St. Michael’s Hospice. They sent a nurse to speak with us at home. They were very reassuring and came back to our home any time we needed her.
In June 2024, Stewart had a fall at home and broke his ankle in three places. He was admitted to the trauma orthopaedic ward for surgery and he came through the operation well but soon he started to deteriorate. Stewart contracted COVID from an in patient in his bay at the hospital and then other various infections. I tried to have him moved out of the ward as he wasn’t receiving any physio and was in a side ward because of one of the infections, but it wasn't possible. After 8 weeks neither Stewart nor I could cope any more.
After threatening to collect him in a private ambulance if someone didn’t help him, thank goodness a palliative care doctor at the hospital got him a bed at the Hospice.
I was called as soon as he was admitted to St. Michael's Hospice and the relief was immense. At last he would be cared for properly and his pain issues would be addressed. Numerous nurses and doctors attended him and carried out tests to determine exactly what was happening.
The following day the Hospice doctors came to talk to me and explained how very ill Stewart was and predicted that he only he had days left. I called my daughter and son to come straight away and we were so grateful to be able to stay with him constantly. The care and kindness shown by all the staff at the Hospice was more than I could have imagined possible.
After being at Stewart's side constantly, a nurse urged my daughter and I to have a break and promised to stay with my husband and call us if we were needed. I knew he was in the best place.
My son was called in early Tuesday morning and the three of us were with my husband until he died. The support by every single member of staff will always be remembered warmly.
Following Stewart's death I found myself in a 'different place' - I was on my own. That was when the Hospice was there for me again. St. Michael's Hospice provided support mentally, physically and carried out wellbeing treatments. Chris Bagan, Patient and Family Lead at St. Michael's Hospice, ran the first Bereavement Evening was very kind, considerate and welcoming.
I was encouraged to attend the Bereavement Coffee Morning and the first one was very hard, to go back into the building which held such difficult memories. However, it gives you a wonderful opportunity to meet people in a similar situation. It was November 2024 and Sally was the first person I spoke to, but little did I know that a wonderful friendship would develop from there!
We met on the Walk and Talk mornings and Coffee Mornings leading up to Christmas. In April, I was offered a £1 deposit to go on a Baltic cruise in 2026. I booked it not knowing if I would be brave enough to go or not, and told Sally all about it. Sally decided to book it too and managed to get the cabin adjacent to mine. Both of us were in the same position, looking to try something new for the first time without our husbands to join us on holiday. We were both nervous, but together we were not alone.
It was a brilliant cruise and we both thoroughly enjoyed not only the trip but each other’s company, finding out a lot more about each other. Within the first week we decided we should do it again and booked another cruise while we were on board for 2027!
Since then we have booked two more cruises, one for later this year and one for 2028.
