When Wendy’s husband David was diagnosed with two cancers in the same week, life changed for them both.

“It was absolutely dreadful,” Wendy says.

David was living with both leukaemia and head and neck cancer, undergoing surgeries, treatment and an uncertain future. Amid everything that came with his diagnosis, their GP suggested support from Primrose Hospice.

After a simple referral and assessment from Mel, our Clinical Nurse Specialist, David began attending Primrose Hospice in July 2024, joining our weekly Day Hospice Thursday group. At first, he was unsure.

“Initially, he was a bit worried about going,” Wendy remembers, “but then he loved it.”

Over time, Thursdays at Primrose became an important part of David’s routine. He continued attending for more than a year.

“It gave him something to look forward to,” Wendy says.

Being around others in a similar situation also made a huge difference.

“I think it helped him being with other people who were similarly affected.”

For Wendy, the support from Primrose was just as important, in both practical and emotional ways.

Every Thursday, she would drive David to the hospice, knowing he was in safe hands.

“I would bring him on the Thursday… then I’d go and do the shopping and come back and pick him up.”

What might seem like a small thing to many made a huge difference for Wendy.

“You knew he was in a place that was safe. People were so friendly and so forth,” Wendy says.

The warm welcome that we provide for everyone at Primrose created a sense of comfort during an incredibly difficult time, not just for David, but for Wendy too. After David sadly died, life changed again.

“I haven’t got any grandchildren, so I just felt a little bit on my own,” Wendy shared honestly.

Although her daughter was with her when David died, the grief was something she now had to navigate every day. It was then that Wendy began attending one of Primrose’s bereavement support groups.

Like many people, her first experience wasn’t easy.

“That first meeting… I think it made us worse,” she says.

Hearing other people’s stories and grief was overwhelming at first.

“You were hearing what everybody else said and you take on their pain as well.”

But over time, something began to change. Slowly, the group became a place of safety and understanding, somewhere she could speak openly with other people who understood what she was going through.

Now, Wendy describes the support she’s found at Primrose: “Like my other little family. I just couldn’t be without it.”

Whether you are living with a life-limiting illness, caring for someone with one or are going through a bereavement. Primrose Hospice is here for you.

Read more about our clinical support here. 

Read more about our family support here.

Make a referral for you or someone you know here.