15/09/2025
Always happy to help our community and those in need , and our friends at the East Lancashire Hospice 👍
Damian, aged only 35, has a rare type of cancer, which has led him to have Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression, resulting in him becoming a wheelchair user. He was referred to East Lancashire Hospice on the Inpatient Unit in June, 2025.
During his stay at East Lancashire Hospice, Damian utilised multiple services, including the Bathing service, Complementary Therapy, and the Creative and Support Therapies (CaST) service.
Reflecting on his experience using the bathing service, he shared, “I was hoisted from my bed to the bathing room, but I was never made to feel like a burden; I felt safe and secure at all times.”
He particularly enjoyed the Complementary Therapy sessions, in particular Reiki, which brought him deep relaxation. “The diffuser provided soothing scents and made it a brilliant experience,” Damian shared.
Damian and his wife Jess have two young children, and with the help of our CaST team, the family created a memory box, collecting handprints and other keepsakes. Alongside this, Damian personalised two memory bears for his daughters, recording a voice note, his heartbeat and selecting a scent to put into the bears.
One evening on the Inpatient Unit was particularly memorable for Damian and Jess as the staff from Cafe Retreat organised a date night for the couple, including a delicious three-course meal, made by Chef Kevin. “It was so kind of the staff from Cafe Retreat to organise a date night for me and Jess, it was such a surprise and the meal was delicious - it made life feel normal again”.
Despite being in a wheelchair and on the Inpatient Unit, Damian and Jess had one goal that they still wanted to achieve: to attend a comedy show in Liverpool they’d long been looking forward to. With the support of our Physiotherapists, Fundraising team, and an incredibly kind volunteer named Colin, a plan came together, helping to make the couple’s date night a reality.
🚐 Hospice Volunteer, Colin, who works at Blackburn with Darwen Dial-a-Ride, donated his time and a wheelchair-accessible vehicle to drive Damian and Jess to the show safely. Not only did he go above and beyond to make Damian feel secure on his first-ever wheelchair-accessible journey, but he also stayed as their companion and helped the couple throughout their visit. “It gave us a sense of normality as husband and wife again. We’ll be forever grateful to the team at East Lancashire Hospice, Dial-a-Ride, and especially Colin,” Damian explained. Since the event, Colin has helped the family yet again, transporting Damian to and from his daughter’s school for a special visit. ✨
As a thank you to the Hospice, Damian and his family are raising money for East Lancashire Hospice, if you’d like to support his fundraising efforts, please visit: https://bit.ly/3JXMtZp
To find out more about the services provided at East Lancashire Hospice, please visit: https://bit.ly/31Bsl4X
