How we helped Penny care for her husband at home, where he felt happiest

Penny and Nigel met later in life and enjoyed a blissful marriage. “We lived between the UK and Barbados,” says Penny. “We were the kind of people who didn’t think twice about our local hospice.” She pauses. “But my goodness, we needed you.” In early 2022, Nigel was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Penny remembers leaving the hospital in stunned silence. Later, the couple discussed their future. “We decided to grab each day and squeeze all the happiness we could out of it,” says Penny. “That was Nigel’s wish.”

In the following months, Nigel and Penny went on short trips to Spain and Nigel fulfilled an ambition to fly in a light aircraft. “He loved it,” says Penny, smiling at the memory. “He looked like Biggles!” By December, Nigel’s health was deteriorating. Penny called her district nurse and within 48 hours, a hospital bed arrived and Longfield’s Hospice at Home team had started caring for Nigel. Penny says our support helped the couple stay positive. “We didn’t think about cancer when your carers were with us,” says Penny. “They lifted us up and made us feel like ourselves again.”

In his last weeks, Nigel grew weaker but – with Penny nearby – never anxious or afraid. “We watched his favourite programmes about railway journeys, then he’d doze while I tiptoed around. It was a slow and tender time.” Longfield’s teams visited twice each day. “The care you gave us, filled with such warmth and compassion, was an extraordinary gift,” says Penny. “I never miss an opportunity to tell people how amazing Longfield is – or why they should support you.”

So why should people support us? “Put it like this,” says Penny. “You take out insurance in case you have a house fire, and insurance in case someone runs into your car. Why not take out insurance in case you need a hospice? A monthly donation means Longfield can be there for you and your family.”