Colin’s remarkable turnaround after just one week at Pendleside Hospice

As someone living with stage 4 cancer, his sudden change in health was understandably very worrying for his wife, who had been doing everything she could to support him at home.

Wanting the very best care for Colin, she contacted Pendleside Hospice to make a referral, and Colin was admitted that very same day, where he could receive the specialist care and support he urgently needed.

Just one week later, Colin was feeling so much better that he was packing his bags and getting ready to head home.

The transformation was remarkable. During his stay, Colin was supported by a dedicated nursing and physiotherapy teams, who worked closely with him to help regain his strength, confidence and independence. Their encouragement and expertise made a real difference to Colin’s recovery.

Reflecting on his time at Pendleside, Colin said: “The nurses have been excellent. They all support each other and it is great. The physio has also really helped me get to where I am today.”

For Colin and his family, being able to see such a positive change in such a short space of time meant so much. His story is a wonderful example of how specialist hospice care can support people through difficult and uncertain times, helping them to feel stronger, more hopeful and more confident.

But Colin had one more little surprise up his sleeve before leaving. He sent a Moonpig card to the Hospice, with a lovely picture of himself on the front and the sweetest message inside:

“To all the Doctors, Nurses and Staff, It has been an absolute pleasure having everyone around me to look after me. Everyone has been so kind and understanding. Love Colin xxx”

The card has been passed around the Hospice ever since and has brought a huge smile to everyone who has read it. While the team were simply doing what they do every day – caring for Colin with kindness, compassion and understanding. His thoughtful gesture meant so much to everyone involved in his care.

And once Colin arrived safely back home, the surprises didn’t stop. A few days later, the nurses received a small parcel from him — inside was a little music box that plays a cheerful tune when you press the buttons. Colin sent it as a way to brighten their day and thank them once again for everything they had done. It now sits proudly on display in the nurses’ office, a daily reminder of Colin’s kindness and the special bond formed during his stay.

Pendleside need your help to care for more people like Colin

Stories like Colin’s show just how important Pendleside Hospice is to local people and their families.

But providing this specialist care comes at a significant cost. During the financial year 2026/27, Pendleside Hospice expects its total running costs to be around £6.8 million, with NHS funding covering just 20% of these costs. This means Pendleside Hospice needs to raise around £5.4 million from other sources to help cover the cost of running its services.

Every donation, no matter how big or small, can help Pendleside continue providing compassionate care and support to people like Colin and their families when they need it most.

If you would like to help Pendleside Hospice continue caring for more people like Colin, you can make a donation online.

https://www.pendleside.org.uk/donate-to-usk