Happily married with two adult children, Paula thought she was “living the dream”. But in April 2022, she developed a cough. Paula was in a lot of pain and went to A&E, where she was told there was a tumour on her lung, and the pain was coming from bone cancer. This all happened within a matter of weeks.  

Paula had cancer before but was told this time her cancer couldn’t be cured. She was convinced by her nurse to visit Fair Havens Hub for our HOPE course as it could  help her cope with her diagnosis. 

“When I first visited Fair Havens, I pressed the buzzer, someone let me in, and it changed my life. Suddenly I was in an environment that understood me. I had nothing to hide.  

She said, “I’d already spoken with my family to help them understand that I wasn’t going to get better. But I had so many questions. I’ve asked them all here, and that took my fear away.” 

Fair Havens has supported every aspect of Paula’s heath, from her mental wellbeing, physical needs and creative side. 

“I became so weak and needed therapy to build up my strength again. At Fair Havens, I’ve had physiotherapy, reflexology then progressed to Tai Chi and Pilates.  I had felt disconnected from my body, so to get that back was so important to my mental health.   

“I can now walk a couple of miles every day, swim in the sea and even ride a horse. Without the support of Fair Havens, I would have wasted away.” 

Paula was originally given just months to live. Most people with that diagnosis die within seven months. “Fair Havens helped to safely build my confidence when it was at an all-time low. The rest of my life could have been very miserable, but it’s been full of joy thanks to Fair Havens.”  

“If I can, I want to come to Fair Havens and die peacefully with my loved ones around me. They can spend quality time with me when they want to, whether that’s at lunchtime or in the middle of the night.”  

“If it wasn’t for people making donations, I wouldn’t be here now. If I could shake their hand or give them a hug, I would say a personal and heartfelt thank you. It’s generosity with no bounds when you give money to Havens Hospices.”   To find out more about how you or someone you know would benefit from the care at Fair Havens, click here.

If you would like to donate to Fair Havens please click here.

Published in 2024