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When Nicky was first referred to the hospice, her husband Andy admits they were filled with fear. “We dreaded it. We thought it would be a dark, gloomy place where people go to die… that once Nicky went in, she wasn’t coming out. That couldn’t have been further from the truth.”

What they experienced instead was highly skilled, compassionate specialist care that supported Nicky and the whole family both at home and in the hospice.

As her condition progressed, her needs became increasingly complex. A Clinical Nurse Specialist visited them at home, putting support in place early and guiding them through everything. She helped organise things at home by arranging equipment, and helped manage Nicky’s symptoms, so easing the daily strain on the couple. She reassured them care was flexible, and when symptoms worsened, Nicky decided herself. “She said, ‘I think it’s time.’”

Within days, a bed was available, and the impact was immediate. “Compared to being a chief executive, organising tablets was tenfold,” Andy says, yet in the hospice that burden lifted. “It wasn’t guesswork,” he adds, and “you’re not on your own” completely supported.