John’s Story

John’s story

After being diagnosed with bladder cancer, John was referred to Rennie Grove Peace. As his condition worsened, our Hospice at Home team provided care and support for John and his family during his final weeks of life. Reflecting on the care her dad received and what that meant to the family, his daughter Emma explains:

“Dad was quite a complex case and had been unwell for a number of years. He was living with diabetes and arthritis before he was diagnosed with bladder cancer.  

“Following the cancer diagnosis he was referred to Rennie Grove Peace and we knew we could call on them as his condition worsened.  

“Mum works as a carer so she became Dad’s carer and did so much for him. We’re so proud of how she dealt with that. She has the skills and knowledge but it’s a very different matter to care for your own husband. Without her compassion and caring skills I don’t think Dad could have stayed at home. 

“As Dad’s condition deteriorated, Mum knew she needed the nursing support of Rennie Grove Peace and we called on the Hospice at Home team.

Providing care and support for John and his family

“The nurses who visited Dad at home were just incredible. They had the ability to come into upsetting situations and keep things calm. They were just so compassionate, kind and caring.  

“They didn’t sugarcoat things. It was bad and we all knew that Dad would die. But they helped us to deal with the reality of what was happening. They also talked to us about all the options – such as caring for Dad at home or being admitted to a hospice Inpatient Unit. They were just exactly what we needed at that time.  

“The care that the Hospice at Home team provided wasn’t just for Dad. They really looked after all of us – both before and after Dad died – and that made such a difference.  

“Mum was amazing at caring for Dad but it was a relief to know that help was just a phone call away if needed.  

“Dad was in a lot of pain due to his complex mix of conditions. Managing his pain was something that Rennie Grove Peace really helped with. That’s something we couldn’t have managed at home on our own. So without Rennie Grove Peace, it’s likely dad would have ended up in hospital or a hospice Inpatient Unit, which wasn’t his wish.  

“Dad’s case was so complex that I don’t think anybody could have eradicated his pain but the Rennie Grove Peace team really managed it. We could call them out if he was struggling, even in the middle of the night, and they could help to settle him by managing his pain.  

“Towards the end of Dad’s life he had a syringe driver and the Rennie Grove Peace team visited regularly to keep it topped up. That was a huge help and meant Dad could stay at home, where he wanted to be.  

“During his last day we called the nurses two or three times. But it was never a problem. If we called them, we knew they would come. 

“When Dad died, the last nurse to visit him from Rennie Grove Peace was actually the same person who had done his first visit. She was wonderful. And it was very comforting to us to see the same person and have that consistency throughout his illness.” 

“We lost Dad in March [2024] and I think it was around June time that Jamie called me and said ‘I’ve had a great idea. We need to apply for London Marathon places with Rennie Grove Peace to raise as much money as possible to support them!’”

Emma and her brother Jamie will be taking part in this years London Marathon in memory of John and to help raise funds for Rennie Grove Peace. She says:

“We’re a really close family and I think this has been great for giving the whole family something to focus on, especially us, our Mum and younger brother Harry. Although it’s Jamie and me running on the day, it has been a real family effort. Others in the family have been heavily involved in fundraising, including my gran, aunt and Dad’s nine grandchildren, which has been amazing. We also both need to lean on our partners for help to make the time to run. I have four children and Jamie has three. So we’re both relying on our partners to pick up everything at home when we go for long runs.  

You can read about how their training is going and what they’re both feeling as they approach the big day here.