17/10/2026
"Before Mum was at the hospice, my sister and I hadn't slept for two weeks while we looked after her by ourselves at home. Mum's bowel cancer had spread to her spine and pelvis. It was heartbreaking to see her in so much pain and not know how to help."
Fern and Bonnie felt helpless as they watched their mum Dawn suffer with severe pain after her bowel cancer spread.
That's when St Clare Hospice stepped in, helping to manage Dawn's pain while also providing much-needed support and respite for her daughters.
Fern shared: "From the moment Mum arrived at St Clare, the weight was taken off our shoulders. Finally, we got a chance to just be her daughters again, instead of her carers.
"More importantly, two days after Mum got to the hospice, her pain was under control. I felt such relief – the specialist team at St Clare were incredible."
During her time at St Clare, with her pain under control, Dawn was keen to return home to be with her dog.
"It felt a bit scary, but I knew we'd be okay with the hospice by our side – we weren't on our own this time. I had the nurses at the end of the phone when I needed them – even in the middle of the night when I didn't know what to do. All the time Mum was poorly, I'd never had that support until St Clare,” Fern said.
"It's been over a year since Mum died and I don't ever want to stop speaking about her, even the tough bits. Although Mum is no longer here, she's still everywhere – in the people who loved her, the stories we tell, the memories we made and all the little things that remind us of our Mum.
"I honestly don't know what would have come of me or my sister if we hadn't had St Clare Hospice. It wasn't just the specialist care and how they made us all feel safe. Or the smiles, cups of tea and hugs. Every member of staff genuinely cared for us. They made us feel like family,” Fern added.
This December, Dawn's memory will shine on brightly as Bonnie and Fern have dedicated a Light up a Life star in her memory.
Every star sparkles during our Light up a Life remembrance service – a comforting space where you can come together to celebrate and cherish the lives of people you love and miss deeply.
Behind every star is somebody loved, somebody missed and somebody who still matters...who will your star shine for this Christmas? 🌟
Book tickets to a Light up a Life service near you: https://bit.ly/4B7ujui
