Family Cherishes Final Christmas with Mother at Willen Hospice

A family that observed Christmas at a hospice conveyed that “it meant the world” to them to have the opportunity to “cherish every moment” with their mother. Laura Nisbet, aged 34, stated that Willen Hospice, located in Milton Keynes, became like a second home to them following her mother Carol Donegan’s diagnosis of terminal cancer. She recounted, “On Christmas Eve, me and one of my sisters turned up in our Christmas pyjamas and walked down the corridor with bells attached to our slippers!” Ms. Nisbet extended her gratitude to the “amazing staff” for assisting her family in maintaining their Christmas traditions and spending “precious” time with her mother prior to her passing. Ms. Donegan was 52 years old when she received a diagnosis of bowel cancer in May 2018, and the family was informed within weeks that the illness was terminal. “Mum tried chemotherapy, but made the decision to stop and enjoy spending any time she had left with her family.” Ms. Nisbet commented, “We had heard of the hospice before, but never really knew what they did and didn’t realise the true impact they would have on our lives.” She recalled her arrival at Willen Hospice, where she felt “at ease.” “I knew they would take good care of my mum.” Ms. Donegan experienced multiple periods of stay at the hospice, interspersed with time spent at home. “Mum started to deteriorate and was back in for another stay, this time at Christmas.” “As a family we loved Christmas, and always had our own traditions. One of them was that on Christmas Eve we would wear elf pyjamas and get a takeaway.” “We were determined to continue it for Mum.” She mentioned that the staff reacted with laughter as they moved along the corridors in their elf slippers, an action which “made things feel a little better.” “We spent Christmas Day at the hospice, and the lovely chefs made us our own three-course Christmas meal.” “We sat around Mum’s bedside whilst she slept. Just being able to be together and cherishing every moment meant the world to us.” “Over the next week we spent pretty much every hour there, taking it in turns to stay overnight.” “Staff were always there to lend a hand, offer food or drink, and most importantly take care of Mum to ensure she was as pain free as possible.” Ms. Donegan subsequently returned home, where she passed away in January. Ms. Nisbet stated that her family would remain “forever grateful” to the hospice staff, who also provided support at their home. She remarked, “Myself and my family wouldn’t have gotten through one of the most difficult times of our lives without their love and support. “When a nurse asked Mum what she wanted to do with the time she had left, she replied, ‘Just spend time with my family’. And that’s exactly what Willen allowed us to do.” Carole Marley, a staff nurse within Willen Hospice’s in-patient unit, described the Christmas atmosphere as “joyful.” “We had so many presents last year to give out to patients and their loved ones, donated by individuals and local businesses. People really do rally round.” “You know that for some patients it’s probably going to be their last Christmas, so you’ve always got that in mind.” News from Beds, Herts, and Bucks is available on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.