Reggie, Son of Josie, Hospice Patient

Mum, she was a hyper caring person. Once we’d flown the coop she needed somewhere to release her caring powers so she worked in the caring industry.

She would come here often with us as children, to Roundhay Park. We’d have fun, just like everybody else, like today really. It has special resonance with me because we’d come with my sister and my mum and my grandad and my dad, and that never ever happened. That’s a beautiful thing; it’s just a really good memory for me.

Now the thing is with St. Gemma’s is I didn’t even expect or realise that she’d ever use it. She got cancer, she went through her treatment and then the day that she decided not to go ahead with the chemotherapy she said ‘I don’t want to continue with it, this will end up killing me’.

Things progressed, she got worse and then she came to St Gemma’s and she really looked forward to it. It gave her a focus and something to do. She’d get all these tasks done, she was always a do-er, I guess all mums are like super women.

Even down to the funeral, she arranged that; we were left just to grieve. The legacy she left was that if I was a fraction of what she was, I’d be happy.

St Gemma’s Hospice helps people to get their affairs in order. Support our work at www.st-gemma.co.uk/40faces-donation