A WORCESTER woman who was nursed back to health by St Richard’s Hospice has backed the charity’s bid to secure the final £1.4million needed to expand hospice care to more people as part of their Build 2020 campaign.
The Wildwood Drive hospice on the final push to raise the sum urgently needed to build a bigger hospice to care for more patients and families in Worcestershire.
The £5.3million expansion and redevelopment plans have already got off to a flying start with the golden windfall of a £2million gift in a will from a Worcestershire supporter and pledges from Trusts and grant making foundations.
Fiona Cox, 50, has described how St Richard’s helped her get her life back on track after a cancer diagnosis.
The married mum of two teenagers says she was fit and well and was shocked to be diagnosed with bowel cancer and then liver metastasis in 2016.
Mrs Cox, who works as a pre-admission nurse in Worcester, had bowel and liver surgery along with chemotherapy.
“I came to a stage after my liver operation last year when I was embarking on the second lot of chemotherapy and I just felt I wasn’t in the same frame of mind as I had been when I had my initial treatment,” she said.
“I’m a very independent, get up and go person and all of a sudden I wasn’t able to do what I wanted and how I wanted to do it. That’s when I felt I needed some extra help and decided to speak to my bowel specialist nurse who referred me to St Richard’s.
“A St Richard’s nurse came to my house and from that moment I’ve never looked back. I’ve told so many people about St Richard’s because it was just what I needed at the right time, and helped me move forward in my life.
“After talking to the hospice about what would help me, I joined the Coping with Illness eight week course. I naively thought it would be all people with cancer as it’s a hospice and I was pleasantly surprised when it wasn’t. There were three of us with cancer, and two others with other life changing illnesses. It was remarkable because we all brought different things into the group.”
Mrs Cox added: “The two nurses and psychologist and the five of us on the course all agreed whatever we discussed was confidential and would remain within those walls.
“You basically went there and took from the group what you wanted. If you wanted to go and listen and not participate you could. If you wanted to go and have a cry like I often did, because of what I was trying to express and sort out, that was acceptable too.
“After I finished the course and counselling I was told by St Richard’s that they are just at the end of the phone. I might have left now but I know the support is still there if ever I should need to return.
“I’m back at work and sometimes it all seems a bit surreal – I ask myself did those 16 months really happen?”
How to support the Build 2020 appeal:
Donate: Online: Find out more and donate at www.strichards.org.uk/build2020
By post, please send a cheque to St Richard’s Hospice Build 2020 appeal, Fundraising Dept, Wildwood Drive, Worcester WR5 2QT. Please make cheques payable to St Richard’s Hospice.
Or donate by telephoning the fundraising team on 01905 763963.
Alternatively, if you would like to hold your own fundraising event to support Build 2020, please contact the Fundraising Team who will be happy to help with advice and tips.
