Colette was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 which was treated and went into remission. It unfortunately recurred in 2012, this time metastasising and her oncologist referred her to St Peter & St James Hospice in 2022.
Colette initially had a lot of anxiety about the Hospice, worried that it would be an unhappy place. Her first meeting with Jon, one of our Community Nurses, soon after her referral helped to allay some of her fears and he recommended she visit our Living Well Centre at the hospice. The first time she visited the Hospice her fears were further alleviated; “I heard laughter coming down the corridor, it was the complete opposite of what I had imagined.”
She has been visiting the Living Well Centre for 6 weeks now and has found the sessions, as well as the monthly check up calls with Jon, have made a real difference to her wellbeing. The sessions at the Living Well Centre offer something to look forward to every week, a welcome distraction and constant.
“All the staff and volunteers remember the details about you and your journey. The Living Well Centre helps me with my emotional needs, rather than clinical, and has become such a support. I look forward to the sessions every week, as they keep me occupied.”
The other patients at the Living Well Centre have all been very supportive too; “I don’t have to explain my situation, everyone is very accepting and understanding.”
