Becky started working as a Hospice at Home nurse in 2014 – following in the footsteps of her mum, Sue, who had, herself, been a nurse with the same hospice.

Sadly, in 2022, Sue was diagnosed with a life-limiting illness and Becky and her family found themselves needing the services of the very hospice they had both worked for.

"When Mum was diagnosed, she became very unwell, very quickly. I was keen for the hospice to get involved right from the start as I knew that the Hospice at Home team could support all of our needs." says Becky. "I may be a trained nurse but in this case I was a patient's daughter and it's entirely different."

As well as the nursing team, Sue was referred to the Rapid Personalised Care service. This is the team that provides personal care to patients in their own home and Sue was thrilled with the high standard of care she received.

But it wasn't just Sue's clinical needs that the family needed support with. Becky and her sister also needed the reassurance that comes from having a team at the end of the phone to call any time for advice and support.

"Every member of the team who came to the house was just incredible – so kind, caring and compassionate. Mum died just a week before my wedding. On the day she died, a Hospice at Home nurse helped me to wash Mum and together we dressed her in the outfit she would have worn to our wedding. This was such a special moment and I was so grateful to have the support of the team to help me at such a difficult and poignant time."

For Becky, being on the receiving end of the care that she administers to others only reinforced her belief that hospice care should be available to all, both now and in the future.