Hospice care is open to everyone no matter the age, or background. We are here to support patients and their families when they need us the most. Neither Ben nor his family every imagined they would need our support.
Ben was diagnosed with bowel cancer in May this year at the age of just 35. He was referred to the hospice soon after and visited on an almost weekly basis for treatments and procedures.
Accompanied by close family, he made a special visit to Backford in July to present cheques totalling £15,000 as a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the hospice team for the care and support he and his family have received since his referral.
Ben was referred to the hospice from Clatterbridge Hospital where he received his initial treatment.
“I suppose I reacted in the same way that others do when the word ‘hospice’ is mentioned. There’s a bit of fear, even dread,” he recalled.
“I was lucky. My partner Alice is a psychologist working with young cancer patients at Alder Hey Hospital and was able to help me understand what hospices are really all about.
“From everything she told me, they were places where you could have a good death, and I felt that the Hospice of the Good Shepherd was worth exploring as an option for my future care.”
Ben was invited to come in for a chat and a tour. “Everyone on the team were just incredible and the facilities and atmosphere were amazing.
“The café was a lovely space and we learned about all the services that were available including the Living Well outpatients’ centre, the Coffee and Chat gatherings, the complimentary therapy sessions, the support available for families and all the counselling services.
“Staff and volunteers were just so welcoming and kind. Everything was calm, clean and spacious. When it comes to medical facilities, it’s like comparing a budget hotel with The Ritz. I felt comfortable being there.”
He added: “The way everything was done helped make a really difficult situation that little bit easier to bear. The notion that hospices are places where you go in and never come out is as far from the truth as you can get.”
The donations presented by Ben were to help purchase some essential equipment to support our patients. Most of these donations we raised by Ben’s family and friends, including younger brother Joe who raised over £4000. Ben said “Joe wanted to do what he could to help and volunteered to do a sponsored head shave. We were all staggered that he raised so much through sponsorship and donations, and I was so proud of him for doing that. It was so emotional.”
Following a bid by step-father Rick, there was also a £7,000 donation from The Earl of Chester Fund for a specialist bladder scanner.
Ben presented the cheques to Ward Manager Debbie Evans. “To be able to say ‘thank you’ to the hospice in this way was so important to me. It was wonderful to be able to think that we’d all been able to make a difference to the patients that will be here in the future.”
Thanking Ben and his family for their kindness and generosity, Debbie commented: “The Inpatient Unit staff are so grateful to Ben and his family and friends for these donations that will enable us to purchase this essential equipment.
“It will help us continue to give outstanding care not just for Ben but all future IPU patients.”
Debbie added: “Ben is amazing in the way he feels so strongly about the hospice that he still wanted to make the effort to come and thank us in this way. We’re so grateful.”
Sadly, Ben passed away at the beginning August. His family were keen for his story to be included. We thank them for their support and generosity and salute Ben’s courage.