Hannah’s wife, Kay, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in November 2021. Kay and her family were supported by the hospice during the final year of Kay’s life. This Light up a Life, Hannah is dedicating a light in celebration of Kay.
“We were together for just short of nine years. We had a life full of laughter, resilience, and deep love. Kay was a proud and loving mother to her daughter Ruby, who was 18 when she lost her mum, and our beautiful little boy Leo, who was just 20 months old when Kay passed.”
“Kay spent a lot of time at Barnsley Hospice. The place became a lifeline for us. The staff didn’t just care for her, they cared for me and her loved ones as well.”
“When Kay came to Barnsley Hospice, I was scared, exhausted as a new mum and heartbroken for Kay. I felt completely lost.”
However, after spending some time at the hospice, Hannah describes their experience as being ‘wrapped in care’ from the moment they arrived.
“The staff treated us like family. In the middle of the most desperate, heart-wrenching time of our lives, they gave us moments of peace. I’ll never forget the compassion they showed to her and our family. We had peace of mind that Kay was going to be made at home there and that she would be well cared for. They gave me the ability to be a wife to Kay and a mum to my newborn by taking the weight off.”
The care Kay received went beyond the hospice Inpatient Unit, as both she and Hannah were supported by our counselling service.
“When our son was five months old, we were told that Kay only had three weeks to live. The hospice supported me through counselling from this point for months. Thankfully, we were given another year with Kay after that, and we were both counselled all the way through at the hospice.”
“They gave me the strength to carry on through the most difficult times and I will be forever grateful. The hospice cared for us all, both practically and emotionally. We felt safe there.”
Hospice care is often more than medical support and symptom management, it can also be about giving families quality time together and creating memories for loved ones of all ages.
“We could be with Kay whenever we needed to be, and staff did everything they could to make her smile. On Valentine’s Day they organised a cinema and date night in The Orangery for us and although Kay was too poorly to get up that day, it showed me just how passionate they are about giving people the memories to cherish.”
And it wasn’t just Hannah and Kay that Barnsley Hospice helped to create special memories for, staff also organised activities for their family to enjoy together.
“One afternoon, the staff did an Easter egg hunt in the gardens for our son Leo and the other children visiting the hospice. Kay was able to watch his excitement from her bed with the doors open as he came and showed her what he had found. Kay died a week later, but that fond memory will stay with me forever.”
“Kay was able to live her final weeks there with dignity and a reassurance that we were being looked after too.”
“The gift of time and peace that the hospice support gave to us is something I will never forget. For a little while the fear faded and it felt like we could be together again.”
“Kay’s light hasn’t gone out. It lives on in me, in our children and in every life she touched, every single day.”
“For us, Light Up a Life is Kay’s light still shining. Kay was not just our light, she was a beacon of hope and strived to make a difference in communities. This is a moment to stop, remember, and feel close to her again.”
“Standing among others, as she always did, holding the same love and loss in their hearts. Reminding us that we are not alone, celebrating her life. Seeing her light alongside so many others reminds us that we are part of a community of love and remembrance.”
“The hospice relies on donations to keep giving the kind of care that made such a difference to our family. Supporting Light Up a Life is more than just a tribute. It’s a lifeline for the next family who walk through the hospice doors; it’s giving them the same comfort and compassion that carried us through the darkest days of our lives. Giving a donation to the hospice is a gift that truly changes lives for both patients and those of us left behind.”
“Any one of us could need the hospice. It is so important we protect this amazing place at all costs.”
If you’d like to dedicate a light and make a donation to support our care and services, please visit our Light up a Life page.
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