Beth’s story
Beth shares how St Ann's supported her mum, Kath, and their whole family
“We will be forever grateful for the support that St Ann’s has offered our family. Our Mum, Kath, has Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and without the hospice our family would have received very little support. St Ann’s has been everything and more over the past year.
“We are a huge family, our Mum and Dad have four daughters, nine grandchildren and twin granddaughters on the way. Mum was diagnosed with MS 12 years ago and her worse fear was that she would end up in a wheelchair. That would have been a good outcome – MS is a cruel disease. Mum is the strongest, most determined woman we know but it has overpowered her, leaving us watching helpless.”
St Ann’s has been a lifeline when we have been at our lowest; they have offered not only support with our Mum but absolutely invaluable support for our Dad as well. Beth, Kath's daughter
“We weren’t initially aware that St Ann’s offered care for people with life limiting diseases, imagining a hospice was just for end of life care. Which they do, they are amazing, but they offer so much more as well. We managed to get a GP to refer us to St Ann’s and then they took over- assessing Mum, taking her in for several weeks for medical intervention (but in a 5 star hotel – they even had a drinks trolley!) and finally trusting her back into our care with all medication reviewed and a package of support.”
That package of support has been invaluable. Life with MS and caring for someone with MS is difficult enough, but with the recent pandemic our parents would have been left to cope alone without the hospice. Beth, Kath's daughter
“But we are so incredibly grateful that they have been there – not only for Mum but also for our Dad, it’s an incredible support system. They have remained in touch constantly with videos calls and counselling, ensuring Mum had check-ups, referring her for the right care and ensuring she has all the medical equipment she needs. It is difficult to put into words how much it means to know that they are there and that we can always call upon them.”