Rex’s Story
“I am truly living life… with incurable cancer.”
Nothing can prepare you for a life-limiting diagnosis. But Rex Mackrill says support from Longfield has helped him plan for the future and live in the moment.
When Rex Mackrill was given the news he had cancer in his prostate, lymph nodes and pelvis, he just couldn’t take it in. “I went from healthy to stage four cancer in that moment,” he says.
Rex started chemotherapy soon afterwards, supported by his amazing wife, Sarah. During this treatment, Rex realised he needed more than medical care. “When you get that diagnosis, there’s a lot to deal with. It’s hard to know where to start – how do we tackle this news, and how do we understand it?”
The couple came to one of Longfield Community Hospice’s drop-in sessions and was surprised to discover the support on offer. “We found Longfield’s care isn’t only for the last few months of life,” Rex says. “There are lots of different courses and sessions to help prepare you for what happens when you get that diagnosis, plus lots of lovely relaxing treats like massage and aromatherapy.”
Rex and Sarah signed up to ‘Your life, Your Death’, a course to help people discuss and explore care planning at the end of life. The title felt daunting – it almost put Rex off – but having completed the course, he feels differently. “Life and death happen to us all. It’s a big issue and deserves a big title. Why call it anything less?”
Rex goes on to describe the course as bringing great comfort: helping him to live life now, share his thoughts and wishes with his family, prepare for dying, and protect his loved ones during those last months. “It’s given me a guide to the things I need to do and an order in which to do them, so I don’t need to worry when the time comes.”
The solidarity Rex felt with others on the course was a gift. “We shared our stories, our hopes, our fears and plenty of laughter,” he says. “We’re all looking for answers. How long am I going to live? Nobody can tell me that. I’m just dealing with the next thing and living life to the full. Every day, I am doing my best to enjoy it. That’s an ethos that Longfield fully embraces.”
Longfield provides a place of warmth, understanding and expertise that Rex and Sarah have found beneficial as they navigate life after diagnosis. “My wife goes to the drop-in sessions and has conversations that make a difference for her, which is superb.”
Our lead nurse, Holly, is also in regular contact with Rex. “Holly is an independent expert with knowledge and resources who can answer my practical questions – and that compliments the conversations I am having with my oncologist,” says Rex. “That’s a really powerful layer of support that I wouldn’t otherwise have. If you have a life-limiting diagnosis, get down to Longfield and find out what it’s all about.”