Emma was a fit and healthy 42-year-old who lived for her five children and her family.
She was beautiful. A wonderful mother, a great friend and partner and the perfect daughter.
It was hard to watch her in the end, despite over 12 years working for the hospice. But she went with such dignity. She accepted her death and was so peaceful from the moment she went into Trinity right to the end, six days later.
Emma had been having trouble with her tummy for about 12-18 months, but it wasn’t until three weeks before she died that we knew how bad she was. She had cancer of the stomach lining and by the time it was diagnosed, it was too late for treatment.
She chose to go to Trinity.
After a difficult few weeks in and out of hospital, she was suddenly totally at peace and able to accept that the end was near. We were able to stay with her – her whole family for the whole time. That meant everything to us all.
With support from the care teams, she was able to tell her children herself that she was dying. It was heart-breaking but to be able to do it herself was important, though we wouldn’t have got through it without the amazing team at Trinity.
I worked for Trinity for a long time, and I was there for countless patients and their families through those final moments. Although it meant I was able to understand what was happening to Emma, it didn’t make it any easier to see my daughter dying. But what matters is that she was in the right place, and that we were all supported so well with total compassion and care.
I understand why people are scared of hospices. Because they don’t understand them properly. But when you need one, the care at Trinity is just something else. My god, these people are marvellous.
Julie (Emma’s mum)
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