Becca & Chris’s Story
“Dad dropped everything to care for us. We didn’t think twice about doing the same for him.”
In 2024, siblings Becca, now 28, and Chris Perkins, now 32, moved back home to care for their dad, Trevor, after his brain tumour diagnosis. The tragic news hit particularly hard: 20 years earlier, their Mum, Kathryn, had died from metastatic brain cancer. Trevor dropped everything to care for his young family. “Dad never remarried,” says Becca. “All his love and energy went on raising us.”
Trevor was a draughtsman by trade and volunteered at the Gloucestershire Cave Rescue Group. “Dad was prepared for anything. The boot of his car was filled with head torches, waterproof matches and energy drinks,” says Becca, smiling.
During Trevor’s illness, the tightknit family grew closer still. But the reality of caring was harder than Chris and Becca could have imagined. “Dad had balance issues so the responsibility of helping him wash or undress felt enormous,” remembers Chris. “We didn’t get any training, we were just left to crack on.” Becca nods in agreement. “Looking back, we were totally out of our depth.”
A few days before Longfield’s Hospice at Home team started caring for Trevor, the siblings had started to talk – reluctantly – about the possibility of residential care. “Then Longfield arrived,” says Chris. “I remember Becca and I looking at each other and breathing a sigh of relief. The carers were friendly, compassionate and knowledgeable. Knowing we had Longfield by our side gave us the confidence to keep going.”
“Longfield built a relationship with our family that we really valued.”
Our teams visited Trevor three times a day, every day. After long, often sleepless nights, the Longfield carers were a welcome sight each morning. “We’d be in our PJs, our duvets still on the sofa. Opening the door to people you like and trust to care for someone you love… that’s an amazing feeling,” says Becca.
“Dad had us regardless, but he also had those check in points, morning, noon and night, with people who are experts in palliative care. Your team got to know Dad and understood how his condition was affecting him, more so than any of the other professionals we were dealing with.”
“The care you provided wasn’t just good – it was exceptional.”
At the end of Trevor’s life, the family had funding approved for a separate care agency to support Trevor overnight. “The people that came didn’t even say hello to Dad,” says Chris. “They just walked in, saw him, and started doing paperwork. I rang up the palliative care nurse and said ‘no’ we don’t want them coming in. It wasn’t the same. Having Longfield gave us a benchmark: we knew what good care looked like – and it wasn’t that!”
Since Trevor’s death in July 2024, both Chris and Becca have been active supporters of Longfield. They donated money from Trevor’s Will to the hospice: (‘it’s what Dad would have wanted’), and Longfield is now charity of the year for CloudClevr, where Becca works.
Unlike many young people their age, the siblings have a profound insight into the role of hospice care in a community. “It’s reassuring and comforting to know a place like Longfield exists,” Becca explains. “You never know when you, or someone close to you – a neighbour, a friend, your parents – might need them. We’ll continue doing everything we can to support the incredible work you do.”
