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Woman smiling sitting in chair at Treetops Hospice

Tracey was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer in 2020. She is sharing her story during Dying Matters Awareness Week, to encourage people to have conversations about death, dying and bereavement.

Tracey has been receiving wellbeing and emotional support through our SPRING Programme.

She has talked honestly about how people react to her diagnosis, her end-of-life plans, and what it means to her to be 'in a good place to die'.

I’ve been given a terminal diagnosis so it’s not going to end well

“There’s a lot of denial. People often say to me ‘you look really well’ or ‘you’re going to be alright; you’ll fight this’. But I’ve been given a terminal diagnosis so it’s not going to end well or end the way I want it to end.

“Some people tell me I’m brave which frustrates me. I’m not brave at all. I’m dealing with what life’s throwing at me and I’d rather not be dealing with it. Sometimes I just want to pretend it’s not happening.

I’ve got the benefit of being able to deal with this. I’m prepared for what’s going to happen to me. Not necessarily how it’s going to happen.

“I’m not owning their reactions. It’s down to them. However, they want to feel, they’ll feel. I get that people will be upset and I’ve had a few people cry on me but coming to Treetops has helped me deal with this.”

Dying Matters Awareness Week

This year, during Dying Matters Awareness Week we are encouraging people to consider what it means to be ‘in a good place to die’ – physically, emotionally, practically, spiritually, and even digitally.  

One of my biggest fears is leaving people behind and how they’re going to cope without me. I’ve tried to do as much as I can to make it easier for everyone when I’ve gone.

Tracey has helped us create a series of short videos sharing her experience which can be found on our You Tube channel.