You may recognise our patient Keith, aged 75. Not only did he star in some filming we did with the BBC, he’s also a regular face in pictures from our Wellbeing sessions.  In this short series of blogs, he talks about each of our 3 services and explains how we’ve helped him.

Early life and diagnosis

Keith is originally from Nottingham and grew up in a family of miners. But, after leaving school at 15, he turned down the chance to work at a local colliery and moved to Birmingham.

Later, his wife Pat became ill, and they ended up returning to Nottingham. He said: “I looked after Pat for 14 years.” He jokes “she was a pain in the backside, but we were married for 30 years before she died in March 2023. By that point I was already ill myself and had been getting worse for a few years.”

Keith was diagnosed with heart problems and other complications following a trip to the hospital with chest pains. “Suddenly they came out with a list of things – ‘you’ve had a few mini strokes. Your heart’s not good.’ And then a final surprise was that I had cancer, too. I was in a real daze when I came out of hospital.”

Bereavement Support: “feeling brighter”

Keith’s wife Pat passed away while he was using our services.

Keith then turned to another aspect of our care – Bereavement Support. As well as talking about the death of his wife, Keith used time with one of our counsellors to talk about his situation and illnesses, which have caused memory problems, back pain and breathlessness.

He says, “Before I’ve just sat here and cried my eyes out. But talking to the counsellor is really helpful. It’s good to talk.

“I feel like I’ve turned a corner recently and feel a lot brighter despite the same old problems. Recently, it’s like someone has changed my batteries.”

Providing a lifeline

A member of our Bereavement team added: “Our Bereavement Support is a vital part of the help we give to people affected by an incurable illness. Alongside our Wellbeing offer and the care we deliver in people’s homes, the psychological and emotional support we provide is a lifeline to people experiencing grief.

“We make sure people are not left to suffer loss on their own and can take pressure off other healthcare services in Nottinghamshire.”

Find out more

If you or a loved one might benefit from Bereavement Support – find out more and speak to us today!