“I wonder if you really know quite how much comfort and help you provide? I think you're tremendous,” said GinnyHawksley, a 56-year-old mum from Gerrards Cross.
Ginny, who was given two years to live in 2021, emailed the message to the hospice after one of her regular visits.
Afterwards, she explained: “The staff are so generous and kind – I wonder if they know how wonderful they are. It is such an incredible charity – there is something there for everyone and you never feel alone.”
But she revealed she initially hadn’t wanted to go to the hospice when she was referred there two years ago.
“I was quite young, at 54, and I didn’t think I was going to need them but they have been incredible and I don’t know what I would have done without them really,” she said.
“They didn’t try to make me do anything I didn’t want to do – I had some complementary therapies such as reflexology and head massage. Those things are very expensive particularly as I cannot work full time any more. When you are losing your hair and the drugs are making you fat and puffy and you are feeling sick, you don’t feel beautiful any more, so it’s so special to get these treatments for free. They make you feel special.”
Every couple of months, she receives lymphoedema treatment at the hospice which she says significantly improves her health. She suffers from severe lymphoedema in her right arm as a result of her cancer and the subsequent treatment.
Ginny, who has worked in luxury travel sales and marketing for 35 years, also praised the support she was given at the hospice by Patient Advocate Gerry Wigfield to help her to successfully apply for a Blue Badge and also for Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
The Blue Badge allows her to comfortably drive into London regularly to visit exhibitions, without having to pay to park or pay the congestion charge. She says this is a ‘lifesaver’ because using public transport is difficult due to her low immune system.
The PIP allowance of around £170 per week, which has to be claimed through a detailed questionnaire, is a significant boost to her income which has suffered as a result of her having to go part time due to illness.
“The PIP and the Blue Badge have been lifesavers and really changed my life and that’s all because of South Bucks Hospice,” she said.
Ginny was especially impressed by a six-week end-of-life planning course set up by the hospice.
“This course has been invaluable to me and the others who have been on it – it was nice to talk to each other about how we feel about dying, and to share our wisdom about what we have put in place for our funerals and things like that,” she said.
One moment more than others stuck out though at this course for Ginny, who has a 25-year-old son, Archie.
“All the people on the course were much older than me and were talking about their grandchildren. I got quite emotional because there is a chance I won’t live long enough to see grandchildren , or even if I do, to get to know them. One of the women suggested I make a granny book about myself for my grandchildren to read, and I have done that, and I thought that was beautiful. I wouldn’t have done that if I hadn’t been at that session. These seem like little things, but they are enormous.”
Ginny first discovered she had breast cancer in 2006 when she was aged just 38. She beat that but the cancer returned in 2015 when she underwent a mastectomy and chemotherapy and thought she had beaten the disease once again. However, it returned in 2021 when she was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 cancer.
“They gave me two years to live but I am still here four years later – I am determined not to go anywhere. I have a very positive attitude and am very grateful to be alive and grateful to everyone who helps me, including Archie along with my family, friends and South Bucks Hospice who have been amazing.”
Now Ginny is urging local people to donate where they can to the hospice.
“I think everybody has people in their lives affected by cancer and if you want to give to your local charity, give back locally and help people in your community who have cancer, you can do so whether it’s arranging a sponsored walk or leaving money in your will or leaving small or large donations.”
She added: “People worry about giving money because they don’t know if it’s going to be spent on what they want it to be spent on – but in the case of South Bucks Hospice, your donations will be truly worthwhile.
“And I would say to those who have already donated – thank you so much for making a big difference in my life.”
· To find out more about the hospice, go to http://www.sbh.org.uk
