My mum, the life of the party yet after years still couldn’t handle the hangover, The person who dedicated 43 years to the NHS, The one who we heard long before we saw, who’s laugh will never be forgotten lost her fight to cancer aged just 61. Here’s our story,  

In may 2020 our lives got turned upside down with the diagnosis my mum had stage 4 lung cancer which had already spread and there was no cure.

We had hope that with treatment they could manage mum and give her another 7 years. If she had decided to refuse treatment the prognosis was just months so the battle of chemotherapy began and mum took it all in her stride whilst  still kicking off and wanting to work. 

In July we was given the news the treatment was working great and shrinking the tumours and mum continued with another two cycles and began planning a future and to return to work part time after Christmas. 

In September we was then given the devastating news the cancer had by then doubled in size and even after all that chemotherapy it was now worse than when we began. 

I pushed and pushed for more treatment and my mum battled through another round of chemotherapy unfortunately her body just couldn’t take it so she made the decision to stop all treatment in October. 

We spoke with the doctor who said mum would have around 6 months left to live, I blocked the reality out and kept telling mum there was a cure I had her doing everything possible I could find online and she did it just to keep me happy and give me hope but deep down she knew it was the end. 

Unfortunately the end came a lot quicker than anyone expected and on the 2nd of November my mum went into LOROS again I thought she would come back out I even planned for her to live with me once she had some respite and had the pain under control. 

On November the 4th it was Imogen’s birthday LOROS arranged a party for us, decorated the ward and my mums room and made it incredibly special, even made her a cake. Mum was in high spirits and we toasted Imogen’s birthday, ate cake and had a mini party. I was so sure the respite was working & the pain was under control the videos I have show mum in such high spirits and she seemed like she had everything under control.  

On November the 5th I went into LOROS and the doctor took me into the side room to say mum had entered the dying phase I thought she was lying I couldn’t understand how my mum had been so up beat and looked the best she had for weeks just hours before, she told me mum was holding on for Imogen’s birthday and she had told the staff once that was over she was ready to begin the higher pain relief. My world came to a holt at that moment even In my mums final days and she knew it she still made sure Imogen had her birthday, she smiled through her pain and laughed through her tears. Il never understand how anyone could be so brave in that situation. That night we knew mums medication was being increased so it was our final time together, we opened a can of coke and a bottle of bud and we laughed about the good times, we cried about my future and we spoke about things id never wanted to accept. I promised I’d be brave, I promised I’d take chances and live for the moment and mums final words were she’d had the best 33 years with me and she was ready to go to sleep and she wasn’t scared.

November the 7th my mum passed away as I left the room after I’d sat there for hours after hours the final thing she could do to protect me I guess. 

LOROS were amazing the care they give Is outstanding, the compassion they show is another level and your certainly not just a patient. So I’m going to jump out of a plane and give them something back, I’m going to try and be brave and remember how brave my mum had been over those 6 months right till she took her last breath. 

Any donation will support these in continuing to give other families the support they need during the worst possible journey they will ever go on. 

Thank you to everyone who had supported my mum, and who continue to for me and my girls. 💓💓