End of life resilience – Joy and Dunston’s story

Nurturing end of life resilience, even when things are uncertain, is the implicit message to Joy and Dunston's story.

In 2021, we met with Dunston and his wife, Joy, who were receiving end of life support and advice from our Nurse Specialists.

When our Dorothy House team met with Joy and Dunston, Dunston was in remission from a rare form of cancer, in which he was given only 6 weeks to live back in 2010. Devastatingly, their focus on Dunston’s remission was flipped on its head when Joy fell ill in 2020.

As once a carer for Dunston, Joy explains her experience of coming to terms with her diagnosis. She briefly touches on how ‘the roles have reversed’ with the status of their health as a couple, however remains positive having surpassed 7 months since her initial end of life diagnosis.

Joy reflects on how her life has changed and will continue to change as time goes on, but takes comfort in the support from family, friends and the specialist advice from Dorothy House.

Whilst Joy and Dunston share their concerns for what life might be like when Joy passes, their resilience has prevailed. This has been transparent through both of their individual journeys with facing the adversities of a terminal illness.

It is heart-warming to see how the support and advice from Dorothy House has been a key pillar in facilitating their resilience and positivity towards end of life. Joy shares: ‘We know that with Dorothy House, if there is a problem it will be dealt with straight away. ‘I only have to pick up the phone. I find peace and I know that she’s (nurse specialist) there.’