‘We are so grateful to hospice for mum’s care’: Family tell of gratitude to Boston hospice

The care and compassion shown by Butterfly Hospice made a huge difference to the final days of Jenny Bishop – and to her family.
Jenny Bishop was the last patient at The Butterfly Hospice, staying on there even after lockdown was announcedJenny Bishop was the last patient at The Butterfly Hospice, staying on there even after lockdown was announced
Jenny Bishop was the last patient at The Butterfly Hospice, staying on there even after lockdown was announced

Son Nicholas has spoken of their gratitude for the care she was given and of the hospice decision to allow her to stay for her final days, even after lockdown was announced.

And as the hospice now faces a battle to recover from the devastating impact of the Covid 19 pandemic, he is determined to do all he can to support it in memory of his mum and the many others who have benefited from what he termed the ‘amazing’ level of care and support it offers.

Jenny was the last patient in the hospice when the first lockdown started in March last year, and staff and management made a decision to allow her to see out her final days to avoid the trauma and disruption of moving her.

Nick and Gemma Bishop at the Butterfly Release fundraising event last year, along with children Hollie and FreddieNick and Gemma Bishop at the Butterfly Release fundraising event last year, along with children Hollie and Freddie
Nick and Gemma Bishop at the Butterfly Release fundraising event last year, along with children Hollie and Freddie

It’s a decision the family will be eternally grateful for, and Nicholas wanted to tell his mum’s story to help raise awareness of the funding crisis the hospice is now facing – and its importance to the people of Boston

Jenny passed away peacefully at the hospice after a three week stay on April 3 last year.

“The level of care, compassion and respect she received was of the highest quality and we as a family are extremely grateful for everything that was provided for mum and her family,” said Nicholas.

“Mum was already receiving fantastic care at the hospice, and we are so grateful to the staff and management for agreeing to keep caring for mum even when she was the last patient in the building,” he said.

“Mum could have been moved somewhere else but it is testament to the level of support and compassion towards the patient and family that they refused to allow her to be moved anywhere else and continued the amazing services that mum so deserved in her final few days.

“With no disrespect intended, if mum hadn’t either been offered a place initially at the hospice or had been moved once lockdown came into effect, then this situation would have been awful for all parties, and we certainly would not have had the many, fond and happy memories of mum in the hospice.

“And we (including mum) wouldn’t have met all the amazing people that either work or contribute to the daily life of the hospice, many of whom we now call friends.”

Jenny was recommended for a place at the Butterfly Hospice in early March 2019 after she was coming to the end of a gruelling and hard-fought battle with a rare and aggressive form of cancer (Inflammatory Breast Cancer).

He says his mum was a very sociable person, who had lived and worked in Boston all her life, spending 25 years working at the town’s Asda.

She had been diagnosed with IBC in early January 2018 and was widowed a short time later at the end of January when husband George passed away suddenly.

She lost her only sister, Jane Guthrie, a few months later after Jane was diagnosed with cancer and passed away in August last year, having also spent several weeks at the hospice, where she received an outstanding level of care, both for herself and her immediate family, Nick says.

Having seen the work done first hand, Nick is in no doubt as to the importance of the hospice to the whole district.

“The Butterfly Hospice is a facility for the community of Boston, and it is times like these, with covid affecting everyone’s lives, that such facilities bring communities together, to share the feelings, love and support for one another and, in my opinion, this ‘support and love’ towards each other is imperative during the current climate of uncertainty, whether that be for the patients, families or the staff.

“Support and a team effort makes us all stronger.

“I have left feeling totally humbled and inspired by this truly amazing place and its incredible team of staff.

“I have now decided to try and give something back, along with the support of my wife Gemma and Freddie and Hollie, our children.

“We went to the Butterfly Release event last year, and I have offered my services as a volunteer in the gardens,” he said.

Nick is determined to try and raise the profile of the hospice in any way he can, including through his role as head of sport at Haven High Academy, which has Butterfly Hospice as one of its nominated charities.

The hospice says it is grateful for the support of families like Jenny’s and now needs them more than ever to keep providing its invaluable service.

Bridget MacPherson, chief executive officer, The Butterfly Hospice Trust, said “The feedback received from Jenny’s family and indeed many other families, justifies our commitment to the community.

“Fundraising for our hospice is vital, more now than ever before, following the sustained cancellations in our events programme and the repeat closures of our charity shops during lockdowns [the shops are now open again].

“However, we are cheered by the help and goodwill of our supporters, in their generosity of both financial donations and gifts bought for our patients.

“Butterfly remains quietly optimistic, but we are reliant on the stepping down from restrictions, when fundraising efforts can be restarted safely. We are immensely proud of the Butterfly Hospice, what it stands for in the eyes of the community, and impress on people to continue to support The Butterfly Hospice Trust in whatever way they can – to be able to continue to provide a local hospice service to local people, just like Jenny.

“The hospice staff are incredibly touched by the commitment of the Bishop family to give back to our Butterfly, at a time of such personal loss.

“We sincerely thank Nick and Gemma Bishop for their wonderful support.”

for us over the past year.”