Stories from local people

bar
bar
bar
bar
bar
bar
bar
Sharing the stories of those who have experienced St Clare Hospice’s care and support can help others to learn more about what experiencing hospice care is really like.

Here, you can read about other local people’s experiences with St Clare Hospice, to help you build a picture of what it is like to receive support from us.

We know that, sometimes, people may feel anxious about accessing our care due to all sorts of myths around hospices. The truth is that hospice care is just as much about living well, as it is about dying well – and with dignity. We hope that by reading about other people’s experiences, you may feel reassured that your care with St Clare will be led by you, and tailored to your individual needs and wishes.

We have created this area as a place to share the stories and experiences of patients, their family members and carers who have spent time with St Clare.

If you have experienced support from St Clare Hospice and would like to share your story with us, we’d love to hear from you:

Email us on communications@stclarehospice.org.uk


Click the links below if you’d like to read people’s stories for a particular area of our care:

Community Services     |     Outpatient Services     |     Inpatient Unit

BackArrow_15x15v2 Back to Our Care

Michelle’s story

"Visits from the Hospice at Home team have taken the strain of caring for Michelle off our shoulders, allowing me...

Michelle’s story

Neil’s story

"Home wasn’t the place for his final journey; St Clare was. And for that I am eternally grateful. No brave...

Neil’s story

Stephen’s story

"When my dad was diagnosed with a Stage 4 brain tumour in A&E, we were just given a leaflet the...

Stephen’s story

Ann’s story

“St Clare has made a massive difference to me and Ken… I call them my little angels… They seem to...

Ann’s story

Jennie’s story

"During those really difficult weeks, St Clare gave Yvonne so much more than medical care. They gave her the chance...

Jennie’s story

Larni’s story

“As soon as we walked in to St Clare, we felt this big weight lift off us. It felt like,...

Larni’s story

Nigel & Lesley’s story

"When the Bereavement Cafés went online, I decided to join. I felt they would give me support from like-minded people...

Nigel & Lesley’s story

Tom’s story

"Without St Clare in my life I'd be not as comfortable as I am now... I’d encourage anyone to get...

Tom’s story

Allen’s story

“Our plan is to get me out of the Hospice and home, better than when I came in. So I...

Allen’s story

Colin’s story

“As soon as nurse Nicky arrived from St Clare, it was like having an angel on your shoulder. She knew...

Colin’s story

Teresa’s story

“My message to other people would be, don’t be afraid to be part of a hospice, because there are just...

Teresa’s story

Alison’s story

“St Clare’s is just amazing. It is like a safe bubble, where you are picked up when you are at...

Alison’s story

Ruth & Tracy’s story

“As a gay couple we felt completely accepted at St Clare. What was so nice was I didn’t need to...

Ruth & Tracy’s story

John’s story

“St Clare’s shows you that there is more to life when you are given the diagnosis of a life-limiting or...

John’s story

Doreen’s story

“I really needed a break, and I loved the instant feeling of welcome you got at Café Clare. I really...

Doreen’s story

Andy’s story

“Once you sit back and listen to the others talking you understand they are going through what you are. You...

Andy’s story

Bev’s story

“Unfortunately many people think a hospice is a sad place and people go there to die. Nothing could be further...

Bev’s story

Craig’s story

“Looking back, I realise I was probably trying to be superhuman. Even if you think you can do everything for...

Craig’s story

Keely’s story

"We are all in shock and St Clare Hospice is picking up the pieces."...

Keely’s story

Terry’s story

“The course was very good. It brought you out of yourself and let you talk about things that are on...

Terry’s story

Garry’s story

“That session on anxiety was very useful; it meant a lot to me. I learnt some techniques about how to...

Garry’s story

Amy’s story

Amy has been accessing bereavement support from our Echo Project since March 2021. Amy hopes that by sharing her...

Amy’s story

Gill’s story

“We couldn’t have got through it all without St Clare, especially during Lockdown – they were our real life line....

Gill’s story

Margaret and Jane’s story

“I’ve been blessed with having Jane as my Community Member; she’s a very easy person to get along with.”...

Margaret and Jane’s story

Pat’s story

"I had the St Clare Hospice at Home team come and help; they were brilliant, everything went well and I’m...

Pat’s story

Alan’s story

“The support we received from St Clare Hospice, at one of the most difficult times in our lives, was transformative....

Alan’s story

Stuart’s story

"The environment at St Clare’s was amazing. Everyone there cares so much for the whole family, as well as the...

Stuart’s story

Carley’s story

"For us, as a family, the support of St Clare Hospice at Home team when we needed it the most...

Carley’s story

Tony’s story

"It was a weight off my shoulders and a sense of relief, more than anything, that Collette was in a...

Tony’s story

Pam & Sylvy’s story

“Sylvy is my Compassionate Neighbour, but she’s also my friend. I always look forward to Mondays, it gives me something...

Pam & Sylvy’s story

Brian’s story

“When I first came to Physiotherapy Group it was a real struggle to just climb the stairs at home… But...

Brian’s story

Terry’s story

“My wife, Barbara, first become ill back in 2002. She was in and out of hospital around twice a year,...

Terry’s story

Barbara & Wendy’s story

In February 2019, we launched our Bereavement Café service here at St Clare Hospice. Barbara and Wendy both attended our...

Barbara & Wendy’s story

Glenn’s story

"I have been going to the Day Therapy group sessions for eight weeks now, and I enjoy every minute of...

Glenn’s story

Trish’s story

"St Clare is such a joyous place that we wanted to give something back. The nurses, doctors and volunteers gave...

Trish’s story

Harry & Dave’s story

“Compassionate Neighbours helped me to get back to doing something that I love. Dave gave me the confidence I needed...

Harry & Dave’s story

John’s story

“St Clare has helped me to feel able to communicate with people better, to ask them how they are and...

John’s story

Steve’s Story

“People are frightened when they hear the word ‘hospice’. But the difference St Clare has made to me is unbelievable....

Steve’s Story

Martin’s Story

“The Hospice at Home team became part of the family – everyone knew them. They were really great and they...

Martin’s Story

Charlie’s story

“I have noticed a change in myself since coming to St Clare – the difference the care has made has...

Charlie’s story

Laura’s story

“Being able to access St Clare’s care and support helped Mum to relax and feel safe.  I remember the sun...

Laura’s story

Katherine’s story

“St Clare doesn’t just help with the practical and medical things. They are there to support you emotionally and to...

Katherine’s story

Margaret and John’s story

“Leaving a Legacy for St Clare was Edward’s way of saying thank you to St Clare, for all they did...

Margaret and John’s story

Emma’s Story

“Without the counselling I have had at St Clare, I don’t think I would have been able to accept my...

Emma’s Story

Wendy’s Story

“St Clare has been an absolute Godsend. I tell everybody about all the different things they do at St Clare’s...

Wendy’s Story

Kerry’s Story

“When you are told you have got limited time to live, it actually does make you appreciate the time you...

Kerry’s Story

Tamsin’s Story

"I had been caring for Mum at home, but we got to the point where I didn't know how I...

Tamsin’s Story

Ray’s Story

“St Clare couldn’t do enough for us. I was so impressed by it all – the level of care and...

Ray’s Story

Russell’s Story

“It was massive having St Clare there for us. Lisa loved it as well. Everything about St Clare Hospice is...

Russell’s Story

Kim’s Story

“I came up to the hospice and Angela looked so relieved. That’s the only way I can describe it. It...

Kim’s Story

June’s Story

“Gill, our St Clare nurse, was so dedicated and supportive – without her we would have been floundering. I knew...

June’s Story

Jennifer’s Story

“Illness takes away your independence. You become the illness that you have. But St Clare has shown me that I...

Jennifer’s Story

Lauren’s Story

“St Clare had given Dad the most beautiful and thoughtful gift to bring the magic of Christmas to him at...

Lauren’s Story

Keith’s Story

“I really appreciate everybody – my friends and the staff at St Clare who put themselves out – to do...

Keith’s Story

Val’s Story

“St Clare was just so good at being there in the background, like a safety net if I ever needed...

Val’s Story

Dan’s story

“From the first moment we stepped in, we were made to feel like it was our home from home. That...

Dan’s story

Katherine’s story

“Observing the way that St Clare cared for Dad, and seeing how personal it was, inspired me to become a...

Katherine’s story

Brian’s story

“The place and its surroundings have such a unique, tranquil atmosphere – there is nothing better. And it’s the warmth...

Brian’s story

Matthew’s story

“The unconditional care and support that they offered my mum was also offered to the rest of our family too,...

Matthew’s story

Michael’s story

“’Amazing’ just seems like such a standard word when you try to describe St Clare. There are just no words...

Michael’s story

Betty’s story

“My husband Dave couldn’t have been in a nicer place than St Clare. The staff were excellent and couldn’t have...

Betty’s story

Susan’s story

“St Clare really is such a special place. No one expects to come to a place like St Clare in...

Susan’s story

Andrew’s story

“I feel at home at St Clare, I feel like I belong. It’s like going to a friend’s house…it’s comforting...

Andrew’s story

Yvonne’s story

“I was first referred to St Clare through my GP after being diagnosed with terminal cancer in March 2016. My...

Yvonne’s story

Hugh’s story

“Day Therapy has definitely made me more thoughtful. When you’re by yourself you can easily get yourself into a very...

Hugh’s story

Avice’s story

“St Clare has given me so much support and has helped me to face life - now that it is...

Avice’s story

Clare’s story

“I had never been to St Clare before and I didn’t know what to expect. But once you walk through...

Clare’s story

Cheryl’s story

“St Clare helps to make the whole family feel more at ease. I can go home knowing that Michael is...

Cheryl’s story