In the summer of 2020, Mum was unexpectedly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. ‘The silent killer’ some call it, and this couldn’t have been more true in Mum’s case. She was fit, healthy and living life to the full, before devastatingly being rushed to hospital one morning with symptoms of bowel obstruction. A scan showed that she had metastatic pancreatic cancer, and she was given just weeks to short months to live.

Our entire world had been turned upside down and we had no idea how to manage the weeks ahead. A short time after Mum was discharged from hospital, Maggie came to visit us at home. Maggie was one of the palliative care specialist nurses at Birmingham Hospice, and an absolute superhero. Maggie, along with the rest of the team from the hospice helped us to navigate those next few months and all the challenges that came with it, including medical needs, practical support and most importantly, emotional support. The team from the hospice were just a phone call away if we needed anything.

As Mum’s illness progressed, she developed complex and troubling symptoms, and ordinarily would have needed admission to hospital or a hospice to manage these. Mum was very clear about one thing from the outset - she wanted to be cared for at home no matter what. The team from Birmingham Hospice made this possible.

Mum received world-class care from doctors, nurses and therapists from the hospice as she approached the end of her life, all from the comfort of her own home where she was surrounded by her loved ones. She died peacefully on 29th January 2021.

I’m so proud to be raising money for this incredible charity. Without voluntary donations, they can’t continue the life-changing work that they do in our community. If I had one wish, it would be that every person facing a terminal illness gets the care and support of Birmingham Hospice.