Our last Christmas together - Phil and Anna's story
A last Christmas for a family caring for a dying loved one can be physically exhausting and emotionally overwhelming. Phil shares his experience of his family's last Christmas and how Sue Ryder supported his wife, Anna, so that they could all be together.
In December, Anna spent a couple of weeks at the hospice to manage her pain and prepare for chemotherapy. However, we didn’t know how long she had left, so we really wanted to spend Christmas together as a family.
Christmas was always a special time for Anna, me and the kids. It was a Buck’s Fizz first thing, scrambled egg and salmon, opening presents, Christmas dinner, more presents, and plenty of fun and games.
Christmas was always a special time for Anna, me and the kids.
Before we headed to our daughter's home in Manchester, Anna’s care team made sure she felt comfortable and confident enough to make the journey. This included Sue Ryder Nurses explaining to me and Anna all the various drugs she needed to take to help manage her pain and sickness.
The hospice team was wonderful. They helped us have the best Christmas possible by making sure Anna felt confident and well enough to come home and then travel.
The hospice team was wonderful; they helped us have the best Christmas possible.
For them to organise all this was wonderful. Their kindness and care gave us peace of mind, and meant we could focus on being together as a family.
Feeling comfortable and being with our son, Max, pregnant daughter, Alex, and her partner, Howard, meant the world to Anna.
In January, Anna returned to the Sue Ryder hospice, where she spent her final month before passing away. My children and I can never thank Sue Ryder enough for their support.
The support our whole family received was truly wonderful. From the nurses and doctors, to the cleaners and volunteers, they were all just so caring.
There are no words to express how much that last Christmas together meant to all of us.
How your support can help other families
Our healthcare teams deliver expert care that gives family members and carers the opportunity to rest, recharge and focus on what matters most – spending quality time with the person they love.
They also provide vital emotional support, share advice on caring for someone, and help coordinate care with GPs, district nurses and other health professionals.
But the truth is, we simply couldn’t offer this support – every day of the year – without the kindness and generosity of people like you.
Thanks to your kindness, families can enjoy precious time with each other during the festive season and make memories they’ll cherish forever.
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