Katie and Steve’s story

Will you light up Christmas for another family like ours?

The team at Prospect Hospice are like angels on Earth. When my husband Steve died, the care we received from them took us from a world of loss to a world of hope. Not only because of the way they helped Steve, but me and our two boys as well.

This Christmas, will you give to support another family like ours at the end of life? Your donation could bring hope when they need it most.

My Steve was always positive, and a fighter to the end. He’d laugh all the time and make fun of any situation. A bit of a clown, you might say. We built a really happy life together with our boys, Jack and Charlie. When Steve began experiencing seizures, our future together was shattered. I remember being told he had a brain tumour, and I was devastated. He had medication, chemo, radiotherapy, a craniotomy. It was overwhelming.

Through it all, Steve was so brave. Even after surgery, he climbed Snowdon and completed the couch to 5k running programme. He worked for as long as he could as a manager for Royal Mail, so he could hold on to that sense of normal life.

When Steve got slowly worse, Prospect Hospice stepped in. The care they showed to him – and to me and the boys – was life-changing. From the very beginning, one of the nurses at Prospect helped prepare me for what was to come, and how to care for Steve when he got worse. Then, when Steve was admitted to the hospice to help control his symptoms, Prospect Hospice became a home for us.

Steve was in the hospice for six weeks, and I was with him most days. The doctors would come to see me, and the nurses were always so lovely. They listened to me and supported us all.

Some people think a hospice must be a gloomy place. But Prospect Hospice is so light and bright, and filled with the most wonderful people who are there to give you their all. Little acts of kindness made a world of difference for us. Like when Steve had a craving for cheese and they made a massive platter for him. Or when one of Prospect’s specialist nurses learned that we loved Disney and transformed Steve’s room with Disney decorations. Our boys were only five and two, so it really helped them feel more comfortable in the hospice.

Eventually, it was time for Steve to come home. We prepared his room, and Prospect Hospice sent a bed that was perfect for him. It meant he could spend his final days where he wanted to be, with us. He was 37 when he died.

Christmas is always hard for me and the boys without Steve. And I know it will be hard for so many families like ours. That’s why I really hope you will support Prospect Hospice with a donation today. Your kindness will help another family going through the toughest time.

Nothing prepares you for telling your children that daddy died last night. That was the hardest moment. But Prospect Hospice’s amazing bereavement practitioner helped me see what I can do to overcome this. She helped me find a purpose.

I’m determined to give back to Prospect Hospice, as they gave us so much. A year after Steve died, I started volunteering at our local Prospect Hospice shop and I fell in love with the role. It gave me the confidence to push myself, and now I’m a shop manager.

Now, I want to shout Steve’s story from the rooftops – and the mountains! I want his life to mean more people can get the same care and support that we did.

As a shop manager, I’ve seen the urgent need for support. Prospect Hospice care for more than 2,000 people like Steve, and their families, every year. But they can only do this with the support of our community across Swindon and Wiltshire. They told me they have capacity for 12 beds and are only able to open 6. That’s heartbreaking.

This Christmas, will you join me and donate so Prospect Hospice can continue to show kindness and compassion to families like ours? Your support will make such a difference to someone when they really need it.

Click here to find out more about Light Up a Life.