Your Christmas Newsletter
What's more exciting than playing our Weekly Lottery?
Christmas, of course!
However, Christmas isn’t just all about fun. It’s about spending time with loved ones, too. This is especially important for families living with a terminal illness, who may not get another chance to share the festivities with their loved one.
As a member of our Weekly Lottery community, you’re helping Marie Curie Nurses and Healthcare Assistants be there with loving care and support, to ensure families can enjoy what might be their last Christmas together.
In this winter issue of our Weekly Lottery Latest, you will get a glimpse of the difference you continue to make for families facing a terminal illness.
You can read about the amazing support Healthcare Assistant's like Emma continue to give to so many families living with a terminal illness. You can also learn how your generosity allowed Waine to spend precious extra time with his dad, including a last Christmas together.
When you read these newsletters, you should feel a sense of pride. Every time you’ve played the lottery, you’ve helped us continue our vital work and help as many people as possible.
Thank you so much for playing.
Healthcare Assistant Emma Trundle "The Most Rewarding Job You'll Ever Do"
Emma Trundle is a Marie Curie Healthcare Assistant who works in her hometown of Wigan, supporting families living with a terminal illness.
Starting out
“I’ve worked for Marie Curie for five years as a Healthcare Assistant. Before I got the job, I didn’t have a lot of palliative care experience. However, after my dad died from bowel cancer, I knew what it was like to lose a loved one.”
Doing your best for people at a difficult time
“I’m caring for a terminally ill person, but I’m also there to offer respite to their loved one. Some of the people I visit haven’t been to bed properly in weeks. They’re 75 to 80 years old and sleeping on the couch and are utterly exhausted. I know I’ve done a good job when they come down the next morning and they say; ‘You know, I slept really well.”
It can be tough
“One of the hardest parts for me is when I’m attending a young person. The other day, I went to somebody who’s only 25 years old and so her parents are not that much older than me. When they ask: ‘Why is this happening to my daughter?’, it’s really tough. All you can do is give the best care you can.”
The festive spirit
“Last year I worked on Christmas Day and it’s nice to be in people’s homes, with all the decorations up. It’s good families make the effort because you can see how much their loved ones appreciate the festive spirit.”
“Working for Marie Curie is probably the most rewarding job you’ll ever do. You meet so many extraordinary people, and you hear so many extraordinary stories.”
A last Christmas with Dad Waine Pryce and the expert care his dad received
Waine Pryce recalls how the expert care his dad, Desmond, received at the Marie Curie Hospice, Bradford gave him a precious few extra weeks of life, including one final Christmas together with his family.
Dad’s sudden illness
“It all happened very suddenly. One minute Dad was alright and then the next he was deteriorating at a pace. At first, the doctors thought it was tuberculosis but then they found a cancerous mass on his lung. As a family, we were all taken by surprise, Dad was such a big figure who we all looked up to. And it wasn’t just family, it was friends and people in the community too because everybody went to Dad for guidance and advice. It was just so crazy. Dad was diagnosed in October and by January he was gone.”
At Dad’s side
“From the day he got poorly, I knew deep down something wasn’t right. So, I spent probably every single day with him. I was just trying to be there, guiding him through it and giving him hope, even when we found out there was no cure.”
The hospice made a big difference
“When Dad was diagnosed, they only gave him a few days but going into the hospice gave Dad another lease of life. They were so good with him. When I wasn’t there, they’d sit and talk with Dad, and because the hospice was so open, lots of people came to see him every day. It was like having a celeb in there!”
A final Christmas together
“Dad lasted another six weeks, thanks to the wonderful treatment and care he received at the hospice, and that included one last Christmas together. On Christmas Day, they helped us get Dad together with all the family for one final time. We got Dad a wheelchair and I drove him to my uncle’s. We got all the family around and had a last supper together. For us to be able to do that with him was very special.
He passed away on 4th January 2020. The turnout for the funeral was ridiculous. People couldn’t fit in the church, everyone wanted to pay their respects. We played all his favourite reggae tunes, and people were singing, and saying their last goodbyes. It was the best send-off I could have ever dreamt of.”
The Great Daffodil Appeal is Back Volunteer this Spring
Every March, thousands of incredible supporters like you come together to raise vital money for Marie Curie.
From donating or collecting in your community to taking on a sponsored challenge, there’s lots of ways to get involved. Or if you’d like to be at the heart of the Great Daffodil Appeal, why not consider volunteering as a Collection Organiser in your area?
Find out more at: www.mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil
To volunteer, please email: FRVolunteering@mariecurie.org.uk
Spot the Difference Did you get all the answers?
We hope you enjoyed playing our Spot the Difference in our December Issue of our Weekly Lottery Latest.
Here are all the answers hidden in our Winter Wonderland scene.
