When John Day first heard the word hospice, he hesitated.
“You think, you go in and you don’t come out,” he says with a frank smile. “I didn’t know what to expect. But from the moment I arrived, it felt like heaven. Peaceful, warm and full of kindness.”
John, 73, has lived in Deptford for decades. A proud family man, he has three children and seven grandchildren. Football and horse racing have always been his passions. He is a lifelong Millwall supporter, but it is his family that keeps him looking forward. One of his biggest wishes had been to walk his daughter down the aisle in September. Although John died just weeks before the wedding, this goal reflected the love and motivation that carried him through his stay with us.
Two years ago, John was diagnosed with cancer linked to asbestos exposure from his early working days. He has been through multiple treatments including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and more hospital stays than he can count. “The only thing that really helped my pain was a special injection the professor here gave me. For a week, I had no pain at all. It was the best I had felt in ages.”
What John talks about most is the care. “Everyone here is just so lovely,” he says. “From the cleaners to the nurses to the doctors, everyone works together like a family. You can have visitors anytime, day or night. You are not just another patient. The care is unbelievable.”
One of John’s favourite experiences has been our specialist spa bath. “It is the best bath I have ever had,” he laughs. “Bubbles everywhere. I have had two since I have been here and I would recommend it to anyone.” He also loves spending time in the gardens, soaking in the fresh air and greenery.
John knows his illness is serious, but he stays positive by focusing on the moments that matter. “I have had two strokes, heart problems, cancer, but here I am happy. I feel looked after. It is not like a hospital. It is a home.”
When asked what he would say to someone thinking about supporting the hospice, John does not hesitate:
“Do it. The work they do here is fantastic. You would be helping people like me, and our families, when we need it most.”
Please support the hospice. The work they do here is fantastic. You would be helping people like me, and our families, when we need it most.
