Brendan Nye was a young local lad, born and raised in Wallington who loved travelling and being out and about with his family, siblings and friends. He was 34 years old when diagnosed with a brain tumour and was told that he had just six months left to live. He was diagnosed during the chaotic start of the pandemic. The months were short, with long stints in and out of various hospitals.

The Nye family did not know much about Hospice care at the time. It was in the very moment that the oncology nurse cited the term “palliative care” when the family first realised that Brendan would not be able to recover. He needed and deserved the right expert care to help him through this time. It was also in this moment where Brendan shared two important wishes…

Lin, Brendan’s mum, explains that it was with thanks to St Raphael’s that Brendan’s end of life wishes were fulfilled.

As a family, all we hoped for was to fulfil Brendan’s wishes to be without pain and at home with his loved ones. The Hospice made this possible. We carry such gratitude and comfort to this day knowing that he was in the comfort of his home during the last few months of his life, pain-free and expertly cared for throughout.

St Raphael’s community team of nurses were exceptional. Brendan shared the same taste in music as one of the nurses, which filled the room with countless happy conversations. They would treat him to his favourite chocolates, bought out of their own pocket.

They were with us everyday in the last month, ensuring his pain relief and comfort. They were very respectful of our privacy in a natural and effortless way. It’s hard to explain how important their presence and support was for the entire family. Brendan was safe with them.

I never realised how much strength Brendan had. He must have been frightened to die, yet had so much courage and strength, more than I ever knew. Through his fragility he managed to fill a notebook with specific requests and reminders for us. He wanted to ensure that we would be happy and not to spend our days mourning his passing. I haven’t had the strength to read through all of the pages yet, one day I will but not today.

       

Our gratitude to the Hospice for making this possible is everlasting. I became a volunteer at St Raphael’s following Brendan’s death as a personal thank you to this incredible charity. I am now proud to have become a member of the Hospice’s Supporter Care team, something I know Brendan would be proud of too.

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