Christine and Bob sat together in suits and nice outfits

Christine’s Story

Christine was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2018, aged 78. 

She lived with her long-term partner of 37 years, Bob, in Benfleet. Originally from the east end of London, Christine was a Barbra Windsor type who ran a lot of pubs – she didn’t suffer fools gladly! 

After her diagnosis, Christine began to attend day stays at Fair Havens’ old site in Chalkwell.  

Over three years, she was cared for at home by Bob with support from palliative care nurses until 2021, when she was admitted to Fair Havens. 

Christine was at the hospice for two weeks, and Bob stayed by her side the entire time. 

“Christine being at the hospice gave me peace of mind in a way. Knowing that she was being looked after properly – it took a lot off of me. I hadn’t needed to worry about her too much.  

“The nicest thing is they looked after me as well as her. At home, I used to eat here and there when I could, but here they made sure I ate. I didn’t want to really eat much, but they worried about me. In fact, I put on over half a stone whilst I was there. The bistro is brilliant, the food is lovely. 

“The staff were phenomenal. You could press that button 24 hours a day, and there were there.”  

Christine died at Fair Havens on 20 June 2021, aged 81. 

“Coming in here certainly helped her at the end of her life. The hospice has lovely beds and every facility imaginable. At the end of life, if you can keep someone pain-free in a comfortable position, that’s great.” 

“They looked after me just as much as they looked after her. I know she would have been over the moon with it, the way it was.” 

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Published in 2022

They looked after me just as much as they looked after her. I know she would have been over the moon with it, the way it was.

Bob