“Compassion during our darkest times”

With the support of our Hospice at Home nurses, Wendy Joyce from Codnor, was able to fulfil her wish to die at home after a long battle with breast cancer.

Wendy’s daughter-in-law, Sarah Joyce, is sharing her family’s moving story to promote our Treetops Super Draw and help us raise vital funds to support other patients and families when they need it the most.

“We will never forget the care and compassion of the Treetops nursing team during our darkest times,” explained Sarah from Swanwick.“The nurses made a world of difference. We wouldn’t have been able to give Wendy everything she needed at home without them.”

Wendy was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. She was told the cancer was curable, and Wendy underwent a mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.

Wendy’s battle with cancer

“It was a long, painful road but Wendy bravely battled through it,” continued Sarah.

“She never complained and just got on with it, as there was light at the end of the tunnel. She really showed superhuman strength and resilience which was in her nature.”

Wendy, 72, was a much-loved Dinner Lady and later, a Teaching Assistant, at Codnor Primary School. After retiring, she spent many hours cheering for her grandchildren on the sidelines at athletics events.

“You could see in her face the joy she got watching them. She’d be beaming. It didn’t matter if they won or not, she was so proud of them either way.

“Wendy and I got on so well,” said Sarah. “She was like another mum to me and everything you’d want from a mother-in-law. I counted myself really lucky.”

Despite being given the all-clear, less than a year later in December 2021, Wendy was diagnosed with secondary cancer in her spine and other areas.
“This time they said the cancer was not curable but treatable. Our world was shattered.”

“After a few months of attempting to control the growth and spread of the cancer, we were told that it was having no effect. There was nothing more they could do.

Care and support from Treetops

“In May 2022, the oncologist gave us a prognosis of no more than six to 12 months. In a strange way, we were all relieved. We thought we would hopefully be able to enjoy a good few months of making precious memories together.”

But Wendy’s health rapidly declined. By June, the family was told that Wendy was now coming towards the end of her life. Returning to her family home in Codnor, just a few yards from the house in which she was born, was very important to her.“I can honestly say that we wouldn’t have got through the next few days without the invaluable care and support that Treetops provided us with; both caring for Wendy and supporting us as a family.

“As things had moved so fast, we weren’t able to access carers for the first couple of days. And Wendy’s medication wasn’t managing her pain properly.”

Sarah was encouraged to call the Treetops Hospice at Home team.

“We’d only been referred to Treetops a few hours before our first call to them. The nurses were there within the hour to give Wendy the pain relief she desperately needed.

“They took the time to listen to us and encouraged us to call at any time with any concerns.

The difference the nurses made

“They also reassured us that we were doing great for Wendy which was such a relief to hear. In that situation, you almost put pressure on yourself to become a medical professional and know exactly what your loved one needs and when they need it. The nurses lifted that pressure from us, which we will always be grateful for.

“I can’t begin to describe the difference they made. We felt able to get some much-needed rest whilst Wendy’s care was in their capable hands. They were there for us, supporting us, preparing us for what to expect. Until you live this experience and know what it’s like, you don’t know how hard it is.”

In the care of the Treetops Hospice at Home team, Wendy died peacefully with husband, Richard and son, Stefan, by her side.

Sarah’s family are very proud to be supporting the Treetops Super Draw to ‘give something back to the charity’.“As a family, we’re very proud to support Treetops and the Super Draw.

“It’s really important to us to share our story because we know firsthand how much Treetops helped Wendy and us. We hope lots of people enter the Super Draw to raise money for the hospice so they can help other families just like us.”