Heidi’s Story
Initially, Heidi had many of the worries people commonly think about hospices. She associated hospices with death and end-of-life care and wasn’t aware of the emotional, practical and family support available at Primrose Hospice.
“When you think of hospice, you think of people gathered to die… it brings a dark, negative feeling, and I had no idea what a hospice actually does.
I cried the whole way here, as I was afraid to talk about things. When I came, and there was a young girl who it was her first time at the hospice… I thought, if she can do it, then so can I.”
Although Rob chose not to engage with services himself due to the impact MND had on his communication and his naturally private nature, Heidi accepted support for herself through our dedicated carers’ support group.
Over the next three years, Primrose became a lifeline for Heidi. Through one-to-one counselling, complementary therapy, and group support, Heidi found a safe place to share experiences with people who truly understand what she was going through. Caring for Rob became increasingly demanding as his illness progressed. Heidi said, “I really don’t know where I would have been without Primrose through an physically and emotionally exhausting period of my life.”
The carers’ group not only provided support during Rob’s illness but also created lasting friendships. Members of the group supported one another through bereavement, attended funerals together, and remained in touch after their loved ones had died.
After Rob sadly died in March 2025, Heidi joined one of our bereavement groups.
“It’s like opening a wound to begin with. You’ve got people at different stages of grief. We almost didn’t come back to the second group, but we all stuck it out. Over time we all rallied around to keep everybody involved.”
She finds a huge amount of comfort in being surrounded by others who understand her grief. The group helps her navigate major milestones, including the first anniversary of Rob’s death and funeral, and gives her opportunities to support newer members who are earlier in their grieving journey.
“The group helps me so much. I know it’s there every week, and I know I can talk about things or simply listen to people and not say anything.”
Since being supported at Primrose Heidi has become a passionate advocate for Primrose, encouraging others facing life-limiting illness or bereavement to seek support.
“It’s really important, and if I talk to anybody, I’ll make sure that I talk to them about Primrose, because nobody knows when it might touch their life.”
Heidi is now considering becoming more involved as a volunteer, wanting to “give something back” to the organisation that helped her through one of the hardest periods of her life.
Thank you Heidi for sharing your story.
If you or someone you know could benefit from our bereavement support find out more here or call 01527 889799
