John Godden, from St Mary’s Bay, a coastal village on Romney Marsh, is being supported by Pilgrims Hospices to live well alongside managing a life-limiting illness.

John enjoyed a long career in property maintenance, but now has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary hypertension, which means he has to take each day at a much slower pace.

John said: “Retirement wasn’t in my plans! I loved my job, it was very physical and kept me active, but when I turned 70, my health took a turn.

“I was hospitalised for seven weeks due to a bad chest infection and high CO2 levels. Whilst there, a consultant mentioned referring me to the hospice. I was quite poorly and no one was sure if I’d pull through, but I did. Once I’d been discharged from hospital, I spoke to Pilgrims. I met their community team, they got to know me and explained how it would all work. A Pilgrims nurse contacts me every two weeks to check in, ask how I’m doing and find out if I need any extra support. It’s very helpful.”

John and his wife, Virginia, are making the most of Pilgrims’ varied offerings at their local hospice in Ashford. John benefitted from a breathlessness management group, which has given him useful tools to manage his symptoms at home. He is signed up for a mindfulness class in the near future, which he is looking forward to. Virginia accesses a carers support group and plans to have counselling sessions, too. The couple also attend Time to Create therapeutic art groups run by the Wellbeing team, where they have been able to create a cast of their interlinked hands, a poignant keepsake to take home and treasure.

John continued: “The groups are so important to me because they get me out. I’ve met some wonderful people; the staff here at amazing, the other people who attend are lovely. It’s a really friendly environment. The hand casting was particularly special because it’s all about connection, being close to each other, holding hands. It’s amazing how it catches all the fine details.”

Hand casting is a powerful legacy activity, providing families with a tangible memento of their loved ones. The process offers the opportunity to connect, interact and share stories and anecdotes, bringing people together at what is often a challenging time. Pilgrims can only offer this service through the support of its generous community, and the charity is truly grateful to anyone who purchases a kit via its Amazon Wish List for patients and families to benefit from.

Virginia added: “Right now, Pilgrims is a lifeline for us, it’s the only consistent support we get. We know we can call the 24-hour advice line if we need anything, or if John deteriorates; the staff are so caring and attentive, we can’t fault them. Pilgrims also gets us out to socialise with other people experiencing life-limiting illnesses, which is so important; when we’re here, we really benefit.”

John continued: “We’re learning lots from Pilgrims, not just about managing my COPD but also via all the activities in Time to Create – it’s so interesting to me, because I’m not artistic, but I try! I really enjoy it. It’s different every week, there’s always something new to do.

“I’d tell anyone in my position that they should come here, because it’s not what it seems. You might think, like I did, it’s only for old people who are on their last legs! It’s not like that at all. But equally, if I did deteriorate, I would want to come to the hospice.

“What’s important to me is being able to live a relatively normal life, which is something we often take for granted. Pilgrims is helping me to do that as much as possible, and I’m so grateful.”

We’re in need of hand casting kits for each of our hospices in Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet, to enable more people like John and Virginia to experience the many benefits of creating lasting legacies.

Our Amazon Wish List has been carefully put together by staff from all departments across our hospices, and contains items that will help us the most – including hand casting kits.

Find out how you can buy a gift for Pilgrims from our Amazon Wish List.

For more information on Pilgrims Hospices’ Wellbeing Programme:

• Visit pilgrimshospices.org/wellbeing
• Email [email protected]
• Call the Pilgrims Hospices 24-hour Advice Line on 01233 504 133

Pilgrims Hospices provides compassionate, specialist care free of charge to more than 3,000 people in east Kent each year who are living with life-limiting conditions. Support is offered in patients’ homes, in the community, and at our three hospice sites in Canterbury, Thanet and Ashford. We also run a 24-hour advice line.