Sam Braniff - my experience of care at Saint Francis Hospice

My name is Sam, and I lost my mum, Susan, to cancer in May of this year. It's a privilege to be able to share a little of our family's story and, more importantly, to say thank you to the incredible people at Saint Francis Hospice for the incredible support they gave us during the final days of our mum's life, more specifically, the Enhanced Hospice at Home team.

Our mum, Sue, lived with cancer for many years. But to us, she was never defined by her illness. She was a loving wife to our dad, an amazing mum to my brother and me, and a devoted nanny to her two beautiful granddaughters, who absolutely adored her. Family was everything to her, and she treasured every moment she could spend with them. She had a wonderful sense of humour, loved being surrounded by family and friends, and no matter how she was feeling, she always put on a brave face.

In 2020, Mum was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer, and for around five years she endured countless palliative chemotherapy treatments. She fought every single day with everything she had. Even when treatment became harder and harder, she never gave up.

Towards the end of last year, we began to notice her slowing down. She became more tired and found it harder to do the things she loved. Then, in early May this year, she was admitted to Queen's Hospital with fluid on her stomach. After speaking with the consultant, we were given the news that every family dreads – that there was nothing more that could be done, and Mum was now entering the final stage of her life.

Mum's one wish was to die at home. Thanks to the hospital team and the community palliative care team, that wish became possible. Then, just a few days before she passed away, Saint Francis Hospice contacted us. From that very first phone call, we knew we weren't facing this alone.

Mum never really wanted to go into a hospice because home was where she felt safest. So the Enhanced Hospice at Home team stepped in, and we will never be able to express just how much that meant to us.

The nurses came during the last couple of days of Mum's life, and although there wasn't always something practical they could do, what they gave us was far more valuable. They gave us reassurance. They gave us their time. They never made us feel rushed. They sat with us, listened to us, answered our questions, and simply being there made an unbearable situation feel just a little less frightening.

Lisa, Julie, Kerry, and so many others – we honestly cannot thank you enough. Your kindness, compassion and professionalism will stay with our family forever.

One of our greatest fears as a family was that Mum would pass away during the middle of the night, when everything feels quieter and support can seem so far away. But on the 20th of May, at 7:05 in the evening, Mum passed away peacefully at home, exactly where she wanted to be, with Julie, a senior hospice nurse, by her side.

Julie cared for Mum, and for all of us, with such dignity, kindness and respect. In one of the hardest moments of our lives, she brought a sense of calm that we will never forget.

Losing Mum has left an enormous hole in our family, and we miss her every single day. But knowing that her final wish was honoured, and that she was cared for with such compassion, gives us great comfort.

The morning after Mum passed away, I woke up knowing I wanted to do something to give back. Running the London Marathon had always been a dream of mine, but after seeing the care, compassion and kindness that Saint Francis Hospice showed not only to Mum but to all of us, I couldn't think of a cause I'd rather run for. So that very morning, I applied to run the 2027 London Marathon for Saint Francis Hospice.

It won't come close to repaying what you gave our family, because that's impossible. But I hope that by raising money, I can help another family receive the same comfort, dignity and support that we were so fortunate to have during the hardest days of our lives.

On behalf of myself, my dad, my brother, and the rest of our family, thank you to everyone at Saint Francis Hospice. The work you do is extraordinary. You don't just care for patients – you care for families. At a time when we felt lost, you gave us strength, reassurance and dignity, and for that we will be forever grateful.