“I'VE never experienced kindness like it here, and I'll never forget that.”
Those are the touching words of Baildon woman Lisa Brassington as she describes the support she has received from the Marie Curie Hospice in Bradford.
It has been providing expert end-of-life and palliative care for people in and around the city for more than 20 years, whatever their illness.
'I really do believe it saved my life'
Lisa, 54, was diagnosed with a brain tumour 12 years ago. She has received support from Marie Curie over the past few months - both in and outside the hospice - to help manage her symptoms and ensure she has suitable care available.
She was recently re-admitted to the hospice as her condition has deteriorated.
Despite being very ill, she was still keen to share her story and raise awareness of the work Marie Curie does in Bradford.
Lisa was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2011.
She said: “I've had years of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but I’m on the very last chemo now. After that, there are no more treatment options.
"The tumour has started to spread to my temporal lobe, so it's affecting different areas of my body now and I’m paralysed down one side. I can't walk a few feet to the wash basin, so I need a lot of support.”
She described cancer as a lonely illness but said the hospice has been fantastic.
“I really do believe it saved my life,” she said.
“Before coming here, I'd been stuck in my bedroom at home for over eight months.
“We'd been looking for care that whole time and couldn't find anywhere that could support my needs. I felt so unsafe and frightened."
Lisa was referred to the hospice to help manage and support her needs, so she could return home.
She said she felt " so safe, cared for, and even loved".
How the Bradford hospice has helped Lisa
Lisa added: “The hospice has a fantastic physiotherapist called Josh who helped me use the gym, and I’ve even taken four steps, which is amazing.
“It's not just the sense of achievement for me, it's the feedback Josh gives, I constantly get praised and encouraged. I never realised how important encouragement was until I came here.
“I've never experienced kindness like it here, and I'll never forget that. The staff are always smiling, and I get hugs and lots of care and attention. There's nothing more important to me than a hug.
“I can't drive anymore, so I'd be housebound if it wasn’t for Marie Curie. It’s not just the unbelievable care they give to me, it’s their kindness as well. I never realised how important kindness is.
"It's nice to see different people, and the nurses ask how my day has been and tell me about theirs, which is really important to me as I don’t just want to talk about myself all the time.”
'It was frightening when I first heard the word hospice'
Lisa spoke of how fortunate she feels, as there are no other Marie Curie hospices in the region.
Her family and friends can visit whenever suits them and staff go out of their way to brighten the lives of those they care for.
“It was frightening when I first heard the word ‘hospice’ because I just thought of dying people,” said Lisa.
“There’s nothing wrong with dying people, we're all dying, but it scared me to realise that I’m actually one of them.
“Now, I'm not afraid of dying. In fact, sometimes, I think it's going to be a release. But I've always been a fighter and I'm not ready to give in yet.
"Knowing what I know now about hospices, for the amount of care that people need, I think it is the only way.”
How you can help
The hospice costs around £3.5 million every year to run, with more than £2 million of that coming from charitable donations and fundraising -
You can help by visiting: www.mariecurie.org.uk/christmas
"Whether you fundraise, collect, attend an event, volunteer or shop with us, you'll be helping us be there for those who need us, whatever the illness, wherever they are, right to the end," says Marie Curie.
"Christmas can be challenging for many of us, but for people living with an illness they're likely to die from and those close to them, it can often feel impossible.
"Every five minutes someone in the UK dies without getting the care they need.
"By donating today, you'll help us be there when it counts, funding care, comfort and joy for even more people during these toughest of times."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here