Light up a Life - Shirley's story
Shirley's story
Each year, Beaumond House Hospice Care’s Light up a Life campaign offers a special opportunity to remember and celebrate loved ones who are no longer with us. By dedicating a light, making a donation, or attending our remembrance event, you can honour someone special while helping ensure local families continue to receive compassionate hospice care when they need it most.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Shirley for taking the time to speak with us and for sharing her memories of her husband, John. Her openness helps others understand the difference hospice care can make for patients and their families.
“He was a loving husband and a great man”
When Shirley talks about John, it is clear how much he meant to his family. Describing him as a devoted family man, she remembers someone who would do anything to help others and who loved spending time with those closest to him. He was a sports enthusiast, a proud grandfather, and, in Shirley’s words, “a loving husband and a great man.”
John was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2023, aged 68. As his illness progressed and his mobility declined, Shirley found herself struggling to cope with the increasing demands of caring for him at home. A friend suggested contacting Beaumond House Hospice Care, and that phone call marked the beginning of a relationship that would make a profound difference to their family.
Support when it was needed most
The Hospice at Home team quickly became an important source of support. For Shirley, knowing that help was available brought both practical and emotional relief.
“I was happy that I was getting the help I needed for him,” she explains. “At that time I knew that I was struggling.”
The support provided not only helped care for John’s needs but also gave Shirley the opportunity to spend time with him simply as his wife, rather than constantly being his carer. The team's involvement eased some of the pressure and allowed the family to focus on making precious memories together.
One of John’s wishes was to remain at home at the end of his life. With the support of Beaumond House’s Hospice at Home team, that wish became possible. Looking back, Shirley is clear about the difference the service made.
“If I hadn't contacted the hospice, then I certainly couldn't have coped,” she says. “Especially the last three or four months.”
More than people expect
Like many people, Shirley admits she didn't really know what happened inside a hospice until her family needed support.
“You don't realise what goes on behind the door,” she says. “People don't know that there is a Hospice at Home team.”
As well as receiving care at home, John stayed at Beaumond House for respite care on several occasions. Shirley was struck by how welcoming the hospice felt and how much support was offered not just to patients, but to families too. Staff always made her feel welcome, and when John wanted her to stay overnight, it was never a problem.
“Nothing was ever too much trouble,” she recalls. “It's a special place. It really is.”
Finding comfort through Light up a Life
Following John's death in August 2024, Light up a Life became an important part of Shirley's journey through grief. The first event she attended was during her first Christmas without him, a particularly difficult and emotional time. Although she wasn't sure what to expect, she found comfort in being able to pause, remember, and reflect alongside others who had experienced loss.
Shirley continues to remember John in many ways, from looking at photographs and videos to marking birthdays and lighting candles. For her, taking part in Light up a Life is another meaningful way to keep his memory alive.
“It helps me to be there, to light that candle for him,” she says. “It's comforting.”
The event also gives her a chance to reconnect with the hospice team and express her gratitude for the care they provided.
“You never thank them enough,” she says. “They are an amazing team.”
Why your support matters
Through her experience, Shirley has become a passionate advocate for hospice care and fundraising. Before John became ill, she never realised how much support Beaumond House provided or how dependent local hospice care is on charitable donations. Today, she believes fundraising campaigns like Light up a Life are essential to ensuring more families can access the same care and support when they need it most.
As Shirley explains, many people only discover the value of hospice care when it touches their own lives. By supporting Beaumond House, you help ensure that families facing some of life's most difficult moments are never alone.
Join Shirley this Christmas, and Light up a Life.
This Christmas, we invite you to dedicate a light in memory of someone special. Whether you attend our remembrance event, dedicate a light online, or make a donation, your support will help Beaumond House continue providing compassionate care to local families.
Visit our Light up a Life webpage to dedicate your light, share your tribute, join our remembrance service, and help keep hospice care available for everyone who needs it.
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