Guy’s Story

Guy sadly lost his mum, Chris, to a rare form of cancer. She was cared for at St Gemma’s, and the warmth and compassion she received left a lasting impression on the whole family.

Guy shared, “Mum had been told the hospital couldn’t provide any further help, so we were at a total loss. We had already heard positive stories about St Gemma’s, but when we came into contact with the team directly, it felt like a true lifeline.”

“The Hospice really was a home from home for us during those difficult weeks,” he says. “The staff were amazing – kind, caring, and always there for her, whatever she needed. They made her comfortable and gave our family real peace of mind, which was priceless.”

Wanting to honour Chris’s memory in a meaningful way, Guy, his dad and sister discovered our Tree of Life, a stunning copper sculpture that has been a place of remembrance at the heart of the Hospice for over 25 years. Families can honour loved ones with personalised, hand-engraved copper leaves, creating a lasting place of remembrance and reflection.

Guy shared, “There is something about the Tree that is really special. Because we have a leaf in memory of Mum, we always have a connection to the Hospice.” Guy’s sister even had the chance to taken one home to America, so that she always had something to remember her Mum by.

When the leaves were running low, Guy and his family offered to work with a local blacksmith to help create 400 additional leaves, allowing the Tree to continue flourishing, giving future patients and families a lasting place of remembrance and hope. We are incredibly grateful to Guy and his family for such a generous and heartfelt gift.