Sergeant & Birchall Family to switch on Christmas tree lights

This is the story of why the Sergeant and Birchall family were chosen to switch on our Christmas Tree lights this year:

“Our lovely mum Judith was diagnosed with a brain tumour in early 2018. It shattered our world because it all happened so quickly. She also suffered a stroke, we were told that she would only have six weeks left to live (but we didn’t tell her this), however, she was encouraged to have rehabilitation to build up her strength, to learn how to walk again so that she could have some radiotherapy.

Amazingly, she managed to surprise us all, and started to do everything again, and was able to have treatment to shrink her tumour. She defied the odds and continued to live her life well like she did before she was diagnosed.

In 2022, her tumour had started to grow again, she managed to control it through chemotherapy tablets at home without being in hospital.

However, a year later in  December 2023, she was starting to deteriorate. My sister and I both work in the NHS and a colleague suggested we look into seeing if Willowbrook Hospice could help support us. We were in a bit of denial and felt like she wasn’t at that stage yet, but it was only when a district nurse advised this too that we reached out.

Our first thoughts initially was “Willowbrook? Why does she need to go there, if she goes in, she won’t be coming out.” But we went and had a look round with Dad. The staff were just amazing with us, so we all agreed it was the right place and the right time for her to go in. We all cared for our Mum at home but it was getting to the stage where we couldn’t physically do it anymore. Dad was getting exhausted and anxious, it was a relief to have this help finally so we could spend her last days together. By coming to Willowbrook, we knew our Mum was in the safest hands, whilst we as a family could be ourselves again. To be a husband, a daughter, a Nan. When I had to bring in my children, the staff went above and beyond for them too.

Mum was in Willowbrook for a total of six days before she passed away, we were all so grateful that the Doctor had kept us informed all the way through, and made sure we were with her till the end.

We knew about Willowbrook before Mum was admitted, as our lovely Auntie Anne had been a patient eight years ago, and we knew she had received the best care and support. But despite this, nobody ever expects that they will need Willowbrook until it actually happens. We have received the best care from everyone who works there. We can’t speak highly enough of the team, nothing was ever too much trouble.

From the call we had unexpectedly, from the Bereavement team to ask how we were, to the chef who made us bacon butties the morning after Mum had died (which really were the nicest butties we had ever had!). The whole family were so well looked after. The little touches that they went to has stayed with us.

We were all given little crochet hearts, it is now one of our most treasured gifts. They literally thought of everything. The hospice was the opposite of a hospital, it was peaceful, and we could be with her as long as we wanted to be without having strict visiting hours. We never felt sad to leave her when we had to go home as we knew the staff would be there with her at all times.

We are really excited to be switching on the lights on this year’s Christmas tree. We initially asked if we could donate trees to all the patient rooms, because Mum loved it when we did this when she was in. Following a chat with the fundraising team, they went one step ahead and invited us to be part of the Light up a Life celebration instead. It will be just over a year since we lost Mum, and she absolutely loved Christmas so it really will be so special for us. We are forever grateful to Willowbrook Hospice and will do all that we can to help fundraise so that others can also receive the care that we did.”