Nine-year-old Gabby was keen to join her mum on the Birmingham Hospice Bulls in the City trail, especially to seek out Astro the Memorabull and find the names of her much loved Grandfathers engraved. Her mum, Lorraine, had dedicated stars to her father, Davey, and her father-in-law, Jim, as a heartfelt tribute in their memory.
Lorraine also wanted to give back to the hospice after the support she and her family have had over the years. “Birmingham Hospice is really close to our heart for everything they have done and the ongoing support they have provided to my parents and my brother Nicholas.
When her dad, Davey, 69, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2016 just after his first grandchild Gabby was born, he didn’t respond well to treatment and was being cared for at home by his family. In 2018 Davey’s health declined, Lorraine recalls “It was such a tough time, and it all just happened so quickly, Mom was at breaking point and struggling to manage everything on her own. It was a this point I contacted the Birmingham Hospice for advice and they were a godsend. The Community Team came out several times day to care for my dad and support my mom. When the hospice stepped in, it was a completely different experience, the nurses were so kind and caring got to know Dad and us as a family and we built up a relationship with them.”
The hospice cared for Davey during the last few weeks of his life, and the care he received meant he was able to pass away at home with dignity, surrounded by his family, which is what he wanted. The family continued to be supported, and Lorraine’s mum Sheila regularly attends Hospice’s Livingwell Centre, “My mom was diagnosed with COPD and took part in the ‘Fatigue and Breathlessness’ course at the hospice to help manage her condition. Every Tuesday she goes to a social group at the hospice, and enjoys having lunch and playing bingo with others, she calls it ‘my club’ and absolutely loves going” says Lorraine.
Then sadly last year Lorraine’s father-in-law Jim, passed away very suddenly, aged 75. “We found out he had cancer on the Monday, and he then passed away on the Friday – it was that quick” remembers Lorraine, “Gabby was very close to her grandad and really struggled with the loss. I really didn’t know how best to support her through the bereavement. I arranged for Gabby to start bereavement counselling with Chris, a counsellor at the hospice. Together they made a memory box, and she developed a coping strategy to support her – she now has these little worry men that she can put under her pillow and tell them her troubles. Chris was amazing in helping Gabby, without her I don’t know how we would have got through that sad time.”
You still have time to dedicate a star to a loved one on Astro the Memorabull – book your star before Thursday 9 October 2025
