Paul & Janette’s Hospice Story
Rotherham Hospice Patient Stories
In early 2024, Janette was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ following a routine mammogram. After undergoing surgery and radiotherapy in February and March, she began experiencing troubling symptoms – weakness on her right side and difficulty with basic tasks. In April, a scan revealed a tumour in Janette’s brain. Despite undergoing an invasive biopsy, the prognosis was not what Paul and Janette had hoped for.
For five months, Paul cared for his wife at home, managing her needs with love and determination. Steroid treatments made Janette fragile, and the isolation of caring for her without support took a toll. They reached out for help – district nurses were referred but visits were hard to arrange, and the grab rail they had requested from the council had not arrived before Janette fell and had to be admitted to hospital. After a brief course of chemotherapy, Janette’s platelets dropped too low, forcing her to stop treatment.
Finding peace at the hospice
On 28th September, Janette was admitted to the hospice inpatient unit, where she stayed for the final weeks of her life. Paul, devoted to his wife, never left her side, staying from 6:30 am until 8 pm every day. But it wasn’t just Paul’s dedication that made this time bearable – it was the incredible nursing care that Janette received.
Thanks to the generosity of people who choose to give regularly, the hospice team was able to provide expert, round-the-clock care, guiding Paul through the physical and emotional changes that came with Janette’s illness.
“We’d done everything together. I felt like I was the only one who could care for her properly. But I realised – they can do it here. And they do it with love. The fact that I could leave her, knowing she was being looked after, made such a difference.”
The compassionate hospice team helped Janette find peace in her final days. Occupational therapists offered assistance with moving her, and although Janette was unable to speak and fully paralysed, Paul was reassured that the team respected her wishes. Hospice nursing associate, Kieran, walked Paul through each stage of the process, ensuring he was prepared for the inevitable while helping him cherish every remaining moment with his wife.
“It’s about dying with dignity. Everyone is so positive – even the kitchen staff and the cleaners. They probably don’t realise what a difference it makes. Just having a normal conversation brought some sense of normality.”
One of the final gestures of love came the day before Janette passed away, when a hospice worker helped Paul and Janette create a plaster cast of their hands – Janette’s left hand, still wearing her wedding ring, held by Paul’s left. This small act was a cherished keepsake that Paul continues to treasure.
Janette passed away on December 13th, just before their 48th wedding anniversary. The couple had been together since they were 17 and married on her 21st birthday. They were about to mark 48 years of marriage. Together, they raised two daughters – Caroline and Katherine – and were proud grandparents.
The care Janette received at Rotherham Hospice was more than just medical. It was the dignity, compassion, and constant support that made those final days bearable for Paul and his family. By choosing to give regularly, you can help ensure that more families like Paul and Janette’s receive this same level of care and comfort when they need it most.
Still caring, with your help
Paul is now receiving regular bereavement counselling with Ruth at the hospice.
“I feel lost and heartbroken without Janette. But counselling here has been invaluable – I leave feeling refreshed, like I can keep going.”
What your support could mean
Paul’s story highlights how essential it is for Rotherham Hospice to continue offering this care. Every regular donation helps ensure people facing life-limiting illnesses can experience the same dignity and compassion that Janette did in her final days.
By choosing to give monthly, you could help us:
- Care for patients in our Inpatient Unit and in their own homes
- Support families emotionally and practically
- Offer dignity, peace and comfort in the final days
- Be there – for every story like Paul and Janette’s
