For Rosemary, losing her husband was the most distressing time of her life. Her husband Leslie had been diagnosed with lung, and later on, prostrate cancer, and sadly died after a nine-month battle at the Heart of Kent Hospice.
Rosemary says that the marvellous support of Hospice staff which was given to her husband as well as herself and three children, helped to make this very difficult time, bearable for all of them. ‘The Hospice is a wonderful place – when my husband was diagnosed it came as a huge shock and he became depressed . the staff were there to give support the whole time and he used to look forward to going every week.
‘After he died, they helped to make life more bearable.’ Leslie’s family were able to be with him when he died and staff continued to support them all afterwards. She continues ‘my daughter was very badly affected as she had always been her daddy’s girl but, after he died she was given counselling and support. They called me in the days following Leslie’s death to see how I was coping and they are still here to support me if I need to speak to someone.
Rosemary feels that her husband was privileged to have been able to benefit from the Hospice and that his last few weeks were as goods they could be. ‘Nothing like this is a pleasure but they made it a perfect ending. It is a peaceful, tranquil and beautiful place. I really want people to know just how good the Hospice is.’
