Catherine explains how Marie Curie helped her and her family prepare for what lay ahead, while providing care for both of her parents.
When Catherine's parents both became ill at the same and needed specialist nursing care, Catherine and her daughters became their carers. The Marie Curie Hospice Care at Home service provided overnight care for her father, giving Catherine and her family a chance to rest up.
"It all happened so quickly"
When my mum was ill early last year, it all happened so quickly. There were only four or five weeks between the District Nurse coming out to assess her, to her ultimately passing away.
It was a shock, because my dad was the one who had been unwell and had been in hospital, so for my mum to also need that level of support at the same time was very difficult to manage.
It was also hard to deal with emotionally. My mum was a best friend to me, and she adored her six grandchildren. She had always put everyone else's needs ahead of her own, so I slept beside her, holding her hand, and tried to do the best for her.
Jean with her grandaughter, Hope
"I had never really dealt with anyone dying before and didn't know what to expect"
When the Marie Curie team came in, they cared for mum so expertly and helped to prepare us as a family for what lay ahead. I was able to get some rest knowing that she was being well looked after.
I didn't know what to expect, the night before mum died we sat up all night, telling stories, laughing and joking. Mum was unresponsive, and one of the Marie Curie staff asked 'is this the kind of thing your mum would do?' and when I said 'yes', she said 'then carry on, it's nice for her to hear'.
So, we continued reminiscing and the atmosphere in the house was warm and peaceful. Marie Curie were just like angels, working away in the background. When I think back on it now, supporting mum in her final weeks at home just wouldn’t have been possible without the Marie Curie Healthcare Assistants’ gentle understanding and unfaltering dedication.
Jean and David Bell
"Whenever the Marie Curie staff arrived it felt just like friends were arriving"
The Marie Curie team supported Catherine's dad from 10pm until 7am the following morning, two times a week.
After my mum's death, Marie Curie supported my dad until his death in January 2026. The care was amazing, and one of the same nurses who cared for my mum was able to come and care for my dad as well. Whenever the Marie Curie nurses and healthcare assistants arrived it was always people I knew and it felt just like friends were arriving.
Ultimately, we knew dad wasn't going to get better. The Marie Curie staff did a phenomenal job of making dad's final weeks as comfortable as possible.
When the Marie Curie team came in, I was able to sleep. Otherwise, I wouldn't have at all. I was working all day, and then two nights a week I got a break where someone else watched over my dad. It was incredible.
I can't speak highly enough of the Marie Curie team. When they walk in, it's like they bring a warm, cuddly blanket with them to wrap us all up and reassure us that everything will be alright. We would be lost without them.
