Christmas Appeal 2024

Charley was 66 when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Despite having symptoms, he looked and felt so well, he couldn’t believe there was anything to worry about. At first, the chemo worked incredibly well. For two months we didn’t think about it at all, we just lived; but the cancer markers started to creep up again. They then tried another drug but Charley didn’t respond to it at all. That was when we were referred to Dorothy House. We met with Helena, our Specialist Nurse who really understood us and our situation.

Everyone we met at Dorothy House was superbly professional, fantastically knowledgeable, and yet the experience didn’t feel overly medicalised. We just felt very much at home and that we were getting fantastic treatment and advice. Dorothy House also empowered me to be a brilliant advocate for Charley. I’m so proud of that, and I couldn’t have done it without them. I’m sure Charley wouldn’t have lived as well or as long had he not had that advocacy.

Last Christmas, Charley was really quite unwell, but although it was different and difficult, the great thing was that he was at home. He even went on a long walk with my stepson Tom – there are so many things we wouldn’t have done had he been in hospital. Charley was able to be at home, and have things the way we wanted them to be. To know that at any moment we could pick up the phone and there would be somebody who would offer us support, just gave us tremendous confidence.

with one of our specialist physiotherapists, using exercise and rehabilitation therapy to improve mobility and manage symptoms such as fatigue, pain and breathlessness. Donate £33.

of care from a Hospice at Home carer, during the night, enabling a patient to stay in the comfort of their own home at the end of their life. Donate £50.

of a Nurse Specialist’s time caring for one patient on our Inpatient Unit. Donate £100.