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Terry Edwards – a son’s story

“The personal touch is the biggest difference the hospice provides. They have such a welcoming feel to them all and they all have time for you and your loved one,” explained Terry Edwards (pictured right), whose mum, Cathy Edwards, received support St Elizabeth Hospice until her death, from cancer, aged 62-years-old, in January 2024.

Annually, St Elizabeth Hospice cares for more than 4,000 patients and their families throughout East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney. This care sees the independent Suffolk charity providing free services – whenever and wherever it is needed, whether at home, in the community or at the hospice – to those living with a progressive or life-limiting illness.

“This was our family’s first experience of hospice care, but we cannot fault it, as it was just fantastic and gave us great reassurance and feeling that someone was there for us”, said Terry.

“Mum came into the hospice Inpatient Unit just before Christmas, and she was there for about two weeks before her death. The hospice, itself, had a comfortable, homely feel to it and Mum liked the environment she was in.

“We were all really impressed with St Elizabeth Hospice and how friendly everybody was and Mum got to know the staff very quickly and they became familiar, friendly faces for her.

“They gave brilliant reassurance to us all and through their medical guidance, they were able to help Mum feel as comfortable as possible, managing her pain. As a family, we really appreciated the transparency of the doctors and nurses as they answered our questions and they always kept us up to date with Mum’s condition.

“Initially, Mum was on the main ward on the Inpatient Unit, but she then moved to a single room. She was able to make this room more her own, decorating it with photos of her memories and flowers, which was such a nice touch for her.

“My brother Sean, and I, really appreciated the unbelievably compassionate and caring nature of all the staff and the volunteers at the hospice, which made such a difference to Mum and our family during a difficult time.

In fact, Sean was inspired to fundraise for the hospice in January with a sponsored walk, which raised an amazing £4,711 for the hospice, as over 250 supporters joined him on a walk from Hippodrome Circus in Great Yarmouth to the Lifeboat Centre in Caister and back.

“It was a fantastic achievement by Sean and it was our way of showing our gratitude to the team at St Elizabeth Hospice for the brilliant care and support they gave to us and our mum.”